BIG HITS AND WILD MISSES
They’ve dug themselves this cavernous hole, now New Zealand need to bat their way out. And bat. And bat.
Otherwise a major embarrassment looms for these bruised Black Caps whose pre-Christmas Pakistan double became a distant memory on a long, hot day in the Basin Reserve dirt.
One of the proudest days in Bangladesh test cricket doubled as the hosts’ Friday horrors, as two seasoned campaigners Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim took New Zealand’s errant bowlers apart.
At stumps on day two of the first test in Wellington, Bangladesh were walking tall at 542-7 after Shakib and his captain Mushfiqur posted the country’s highest partnership for any wicket: an epic 359. That joined lofty company as the world’s fourth-highest fifth-wicket stand, as Shakib rumbled onwards to 217, his country’s highest individual score.
Asked if the tourists would bat on in the morning, a cheeky Mushfiqur replied ‘‘let’s see’’ with a grin. He had every right to smile.
‘‘It’s really satisfying after we lost the ODI and T20 series, we are under tremendous pressure to show our skills, because everyone thought this team can’t play a test overseas. The boys really stood up and hopefully this is just the start,’’ Mushfiqur said.
A weary Trent Boult broke the partnership when he enticed a false drive from Mushfiqur on 159 in the lengthening shadows, before Shakib chopped on from Neil Wagner. Still it was job done, as he departed to a rousing ovation from a Basin crowd well used to recordbreaking feats in the wake of Brendon McCullum, BJ Watling and Kane Williamson.
It was high quality stuff. The pair batted ruthlessly after enduring a short-pitched barrage, dispatched the many wide offerings from the bowlers then put the foot down after tea by scoring a blistering 103 off 17 overs.
By that stage, home captain Williamson looked bereft as the field scattered and even the last resort of Wagner’s leg theory couldn’t do the trick. Williamson departed twice to ice a bruised finger and Wagner ended with the best figures of 3-124 off 36 as Bangladesh raced along at four an over. When the ball doesn’t swing on a flat pitch New Zealand can quickly look ragged and onedimensional. They were also sloppy in the field.
‘‘We bowled some good balls but we didn’t apply enough pressure for long enough. That’s where credit goes to Bangladesh. They haven’t just let us bowl; if we were off by a little bit, a bit of width and Shakib will cut it,’’ said senior bowler Tim Southee.
A significant rescue job looms. Salvaging a draw wasn’t yet in their thinking as they go in to bat on a pitch they know well, that won’t deteriorate in a hurry.
‘‘There’s still a lot of cricket to be played. We’ll rest up and come back with the plan of knocking these three over and trying to go as big as we can.’’
The second new ball at 285-4 offered a chance for New Zealand but it barely swung for Boult or Southee. Luck also went against them as edges flew wide of catchers and Shakib cut and shortarm jabbed anything short that sat up nicely.
There were fielding blunders, too, when the Black Caps needed to snaffle anything that came their way. Mitchell Santner’s drop of a searing pull shot from Shakib, on four in the Thursday gloom, was punished severely.
Wicketkeeper BJ Watling looked like he’d removed Shakib on 137 but the ball brushed the grass after his diving grab of a Wagner bouncer. Ross Taylor then put down a diving chance he looked to have snaffled at gully, with Shakib on 189.