Bowlers singing in the rain as wickets tumble
These three-day cricket aren’t short of action.
After two days of rain and interminable waiting, 12 wickets tumbled in 72.4 overs as the second test sprang into life at Wellington’s Basin Reserve yesterday.
It wasn’t one-way traffic either as New Zealand, having won what looked a vital coin toss, lost both openers in the evening gloom to reach 38-2 when stumps were pulled early, in reply to Bangladesh’s 211.
Captain Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, who counterattacked his way to 19 not out off 13 balls with some textbook cover drives, resume on day four at tests 10.30am with plenty of work to regain control at 1-0 up in the three-test series.
With 196 overs remaining in the test and warmer, clearer weather forecast, it’s game on after the Black Caps’ dominant innings and 52-run victory in Hamilton.
One of the grassiest test strips seen at the Basin offered more to Bangladesh’s lively new ball duo late in the day than it did for New Zealand. Abu Jayed nicked off Tom Latham - who arrived with a test average of 203.67 this home season - for four then Jeet Raval spooned the same man to cover as the seam and bounce caused plenty of hopping about.
Bangladesh’s batsmen had to duck and dive, too, clattered on helmets and gloved fingers, as Neil Wagner relished the springy bounce to snare 4-28 in one hostile 13-over spell.
The Black Caps were poor early and Bangladesh got another flier to reach a total probably 50 more than they should have got.
Tamim Iqbal (74 off 114 balls) savaged anything overpitched or wide. Trent Boult struggled with his line and length and scuffed angrily at the turf in the landing area. The ball wasn’t swinging for him and Tim Southee, and seam movement was minimal, but the bowlers hardly gave it a chance.
It took Colin de Grandhomme’s arrival when he nicked off Shadman Islam to first slip Taylor, to turn the momentum.
Henry struggled to the lefthanders but started to find a consistent line then Wagner changed the game once again as he relished the Basin bounce.
Unsettled by Wagner, the core of Bangladesh’s batting gave it away after a solid platform.