Bangladesh finished the first day of the second Test match against New Zealand at 228/5 with rain washing out the last session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. The highlight of the day was opener Tamim Iqbal’s stroke filled innings of 95.
With the newly laid pitch – as well as the overcast conditions - expected to assist pace bowling, Bangladesh made one change from the first Test, with debutant paceman Al-Amin Hossain coming in for Robiul Islam.
After Mushfiqur Rahim won the toss and chose to bat, Bangladesh got off to a shaky start. Tamim was dropped on five by wicket-keeper BJ Watling and again on 10 by Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum at slip. Luck however, was not with Anamul Haque, who continued his poor run when he skied an unnecessary pull shot to a back-of-a-length delivery from Trent Boult. The catch was taken at slip as Anamul departed for seven to leave Bangladesh 23/1.
The loss brought Marshal Ayub to the crease, who opened his account with a beautiful cover drive and batted with apparent ease. With Tamim settling down as well, the Bangladesh batsmen came to dominate the Kiwi attack and were finding the boundary regularly. Against the run of play, Marshal was bowled by Neil Wagner for a stylish 41 from 62 balls to end the 63 run partnership. Marshal was late to react to straight ball which was through him before he could get his bat down.
Mominul Haque, who made his maiden hundred in the previous game, joined Tamim in the middle. The opener was well set by this point and reached his fifty after stroking two boundaries and a single from consecutive balls. Mominul for his part carried on from where he left of in Chittagong and started with a boundary, as Bangladesh reached 150 in the first hour after lunch.
The 24-year old Mominul seemed to be toying with the Kiwi bowlers as he raced towards 50 but threw it away by edging a wide ball to Watling behind the stump. Mominul’s 47 included eight boundaries and his partnership with Tamim was worth 76 runs.
Tamim, joined by Shakib, continued in aggressive fashion and struck two fours to move from 87 to 95. With a fifth Test hundred in striking distance, the hard-hitting opener was surprised by a lifting delivery Neil Wagner that he could only steer into the hands of third slip. The man from Chittagong - who struck 17 boundaries in his 222 minute, 153 ball knock - left the middle in disbelief.
An upbeat Kiwi side added the wicket of Shakib, who was adjudged LBW as he missed a sweep shot to a full length ball from leg spinner Ish Sodhi, for 20 of what turned out to be the last ball of the day as rain washed out the post-tea session. Mushfiqur Rahim remained not out on 14 as Bangladesh finished the day at 228/5.
