Rookies lift Bangladesh as Southee takes 5
Christchurch, Jan. 20: Rookie opener Soumya Sarkar led a makeshift Bangladesh to a competitive 289 all out on day one of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch on Friday.
The injury-hit tourists, with seven players having three or fewer Tests to their name, were bowled out in the last over of the day when Tim Southee grabbed his fifth wicket.
After being put into bat on a standard New Zealand green surface, Bangladesh were ready to punish anything short or wide on a pitch which offered swing but not extreme pace.
Their willingness to search for runs resulted in early casualties when senior batsmen Tamin Iqbal (five) and Mahmudullah (19) were removed inside 11 overs to be 38/2.
Shakib Al Hasan mounted a sterling fightback producing a rapid 127 with Soumya who celebrated his return to Test cricket and maiden innings as an opener with 86 off 104 balls.
In his previous three Tests in 2015, Soumya had batted at six or seven with a best score of 37.
His recall and elevation to opener came as injuries kept Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mominul Haque, and a combined 98 Tests worth of experience, out of the match.
In their place were Soumya for his fourth Test and debutants Nurul Hasan and 18-year-old Nazmul Hossain with the fledgling trio all featuring well in the innings.
Soumya brought up his 50 driving Colin de Grandhomme to the boundary and had a life on 52 when dropped off the same bowler. Scores: Bangladesh 289 in 84.3 overs (Soumya Sarkar 84, Shakib Al Hasan 59, Nurul 47 Tim Southee 5/94) vs New Zealand