Assured Tamim, Mominul give Tigers the edge
Bangladesh posted 154 for three at stumps on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington yesterday.
This is a kind of score even the home team would have gleefully accepted on a green top, where even the bests in the world have struggled to survive in the first innings. For Bangladesh it was like a dream start on a wicket where their highest scores in four previous innings was a mere 141. It could have been even sweeter had Mahmudullah Riyad not gotten out playing a rash shot. But apart from his dismissal for 26 and opener Imrul Kayes's departure in the fourth over for one, it was the best day on the field for the Tigers on tour so far.
They not only outsmarted the home team but withstood the naughty Wellington wind like men possessed. The strong wind was so forceful that it tried to blow away the likes of Tamim Iqbal and the slighter-built Mominul Haque out of the park when Black Caps captain Kane Williamson won the toss and decided to field without giving it a second thought.
But it was a day in which the two left-handers showed character in adversity. Tamim started it all with a stroke-filled 56 off 50 balls while Mominul followed suit with an equally impressive unbeaten 64.
It was more positive intent than power-hitting from Tamim. He was so methodical with his shot selection that he dispatched almost every bad ball he faced to the boundary.
The left-hander was harsh against anything wide of the off-stump from Trent Boult, who went for 26 runs off three overs in his first spell before being replaced by Colin de Grandhomme. Tamim hit five boundaries against the experienced left-arm pace bowler, including an exquisite square drive followed by an imperious on-drive all along the carpet. The only discomforting moment for Tamim was when he played across the line against Grandhomme. It struck him on the pad but he survived the review taken by Williamson. He could not survive a second review when Boult, in his second spell after the first rain break, had him trapped leg-before.
When Tamim departed leaving the score at 60 for two, Mominul's score was only two. But Tamim's innings gave the rest of the batting line-up the much-needed confidence that this is a wicket where you can not only survive but can also score runs.
Mominul's unbeaten 64 was a demonstration of a quality Test knock. His 85-run partnership with Mahmudullah for the third wicket can be treated as a big step forward in shaping the Tigers mentally into a more competitive team in trying conditions. The reason is that Mominul had to come out twice to resume his innings after two rain breaks.
He was so cool that it appeared he was batting in his own backyard, where he scored an imperious 181 and followed it up with 121 against the same opposition two years ago. The pint-sized batsman started slowly but grew in confidence with every passing over.
Mominul moved within two runs of a composed fifty after he hit Tim Southee for two fours and a six in the 29th over, before rain forced the second break. His first boundary was through the covers. The pocket-sized dynamo then hooked a rising delivery down the leg side for a six and with it completed a 50-run partnership for the second wicket with Mahmudullah. The left-hander celebrated it with a sublime boundary through point. And it was at that moment the wind returned with more force along with that spraying rain. The bails were dislodged and the hat of the on-field umpire blown away, forcing them to run for cover.
They returned to bat after three hours in gloomier conditions. But Mominul hardly lost his composure, reaching his 50 with a dab past slip and gully for three. Mahmudullah was also playing well but paid the penalty for chasing a delivery wide outside the off-stump.
A mini collapse after all the hard work suddenly became a possibility when Shakib Al Hasan, on four, pulled straight to Mitchell Santner at square leg. But fortunately for Bangladesh he dropped the scorcher and after a couple of overs both Mominul and Shakib happily walked off, complaining about the bad light.
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