Latham, Raval score tons as NZ dominate BD

By AFP

March 02, 2019

HAMILTON, New Zealand: Centuries to Tom Latham and Jeet Raval and New Zealand’s best opening partnership in nearly half-a-century left Bangladesh on the ropes on day two of the first Test on Friday.

Kane Williamson, unbeaten on 93, added to the run-fest at Hamilton’s Seddon Park in a century stand for the fourth wicket with Henry Nicholls. At stumps, New Zealand were 451 for four, leading by 217 with six wickets in hand.Latham made 161, Raval notched his maiden century with 132, while Nicholls departed two overs before stumps for 53.Raval, who went into the Test frustrated at holding the New Zealand record for the most fifties (eight) without a century, was relieved to get the monkey off his back in his 17th Test.

With the assistance of a flat track, Latham and Raval put on 254 for the first wicket — the third-highest opening partnership by a New Zealand pair, and their best since the record 387 set by Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis against the West Indies 47 years ago.

Latham punished Sri Lanka for dropping him on nought at the start of the innings.He occupied the crease for more than six hours, scoring freely around the ground and reaching the boundary with 17 fours as well as hitting Mehidy Hasan over the mid-wicket fence three times.

Fittingly, it was Soumya Sarkar — who spilled the simple catch Latham gave at second slip before scoring — who eventually claimed his wicket.But by then, Latham had passed 150 for the fourth time in his career and New Zealand were 333 for two.

Raval held his nerve and was able to raise his bat when he cracked back-to-back fours off Ebadat Hossain to move from 93 to 101.

New Zealand won toss

Bangladesh 1st Innings 234 all out (Tamim Iqbal 126; Wagner 5-47)

New Zealand 1st Innings

J Raval c Khaled b Mahmudullah 132

T Latham c Mithun b Soumya 161

*K Williamson not out 93

R Taylor b Soumya 4

H Nicholls b Mehidy 53

N Wagner not out 1

Extras (Lb 5, Wd 1, Nb 1) 7

Total (4 wickets; 118 overs) 451