At a glance
What: New Zealand v Bangladesh, first cricket test Where: Basin Reserve, Wellington When: 11am Thursday (day one) TAB: NZ $1.20, Bangladesh $18, draw $4.50 New Zealand (likely): Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Kane Williamson (captain), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, BJ Watling, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult.
(likely): Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy. we know when he’s bowling fast and swinging it for a long time he’s been one of the best bowlers in the world. We’ll be hoping for more of that going into a lot of test matches in the next wee while.’’
Last year Boult snared 31 test wickets at 33 and Southee 27 at 32, placing them 15th and 20th on the world charts for 2016. Third seamer Neil Wagner was ninth, with a stellar 41 wickets at 21, and is currently ranked the highest at 11, with Boult and Southee filling the next two spots.
Boult took some punishment at Bay Oval but a rapid over downwind was the quickest Williamson had seen him bowl.
‘‘When they said it was 145 I thought that was brilliant. I sort of wondered what delivery it was, then I heard he [Boult] bowled a few more of them. That’s a good sign that he’s getting rhythm.
‘‘To be fair he’s been bowling really well and he’s a world class performer.
‘‘For a couple of years him and Tim were at the top of their game and they’ve still been bowling really well even if it hasn’t been the best that they’ve wanted. That’s the class of those two and they’re certainly getting back to that point.’’
For all that, the microscope will be on New Zealand’s batting with Ross Taylor returning, one short of Martin Crowe’s record of 17 test centuries, and Henry Nicholls and Colin de Grandhomme both needing to prove they’re worthy of the Black Caps top six.
Bangladesh have a green pace attack with Taskin Ahmed set to debut at 21 alongside Rubel Hossain and Subashis Roy, with the impressive Mustafizur Rahman not being rushed into test cricket. While the bowling has looked handy in six limited overs defeats, batting horrors remain for the tourists.
‘‘It is time that we prove ourselves in overseas conditions. The batsmen have to take the biggest challenge,’’ captain Mushfiqur Rahim said. ‘‘Some of them like Tamim, Shakib and Mahmudullah have done well in tests here in the past but now we need a collective effort from the batsmen.’’
It’s hard to argue with New Zealand being rated $1.20 favourites. Bangladesh have won three of their 43 tests overseas and, remarkably haven’t played an away test since September 2014. On recent evidence they’re struggling to close the gap, and in four tests in New Zealand their narrowest loss was by nine wickets in Dunedin in 2008.