Shakib al Hasan took two wickets on day three of the ongoing Test against New Zealand to record his 10th five wicket haul at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. The all-rounder’s 5/97 was instrumental in keeping the Kiwis from running away with the game entirely – though the visitors remain in charge with a 137 run lead and two first innings wickets in hand.
Following a thumb injury, Shakib has been struggling to find his bowling rhythm and in the last Test, was used in the unaccustomed role of back-up bowler. In Mirpur however, the world’s leading all-rounder roared back into form. Following up on the three wickets he claimed on the second day, Shakib got the breakthrough for Bangladesh yesterday when the dangerous Ross Taylor edged a ball to Nasir Hossain at slip to fall for 53 in the day’s sixth over. The all-rounder later had Doug Bracewell caught behind to claim his 10th five wicket haul in Test cricket.
Earlier on day two, Shakib repaid captain Mushifiqur Rahim’s decision to bring him into the attack ahead of fellow left arm spinner Abdur Razzak. Kiwi opener Hamish Rutherford tried to turn the last ball of Shakib’s first over around the corner but was surprised by the bounce and could only pop the ball up to Mominul Haque at short leg.
It was a typical Shakib wicket and two balls later, he claimed another in Peter Fulton. Thinking the ball from around the wicket would turn, the Kiwi opener shouldered arms to a ball which ended up going straight through with the arm and trapped him LBW. Later in the day, Brendon McCullum was the victim when his pull shot was well caught on the boundary by Rubel Hossain at deep square-leg.
With his haul in the innings, the 26-year old took his tally of wickets in Bangladesh to 70 and moved past Mohammed Rafique’s 66 to become the highest wicket-taker in the country, to add to his status as Bangladesh’s leading overall Test wicket-taker.
