Another batting debacle
The occasion of the 50th match failed to inject any spark into the under-performing Bangladesh batting as the Tigers let New Zealand gain upper hand on Day One of the first Test at the University Oval which made its debut as the world's 96th Test venue.
The pitch was under scrutiny well before the start of this Test following the infamous State Championship match a few weeks ago where 34 wickets tumbled inside two days. Such was the concern that New Zealand Cricket (NZC) even arranged a pitch inspection for the media covering the match just after toss. But it played like a typical first day track and can't be blamed for the Tigers' 137 all out after being sent in. New Zealand also did not have things entirely their way when they batted and closed day one on 156 for 4. A good first hour tomorrow (Saturday) can put the tourists back in the game with only Brendan McCullum to come among the specialist batsmen.
Bangladesh's debutant openers Tamim Iqbal and Zunaed Siddiqui left the first few balls nicely before Tamim got off the mark with a flicked four. Zunaed's first runs in Test cricket came off an inside edge but he then failed to take his bat away from a Chris Martin delivery and was caught by Stephen Fleming in the slips (1-5). Habibul Bashar (23 off 22 balls) was targeted with short balls and he threw his bat around getting two top edged sixes over the shorter boundary at the media end before he nicked Martin to McCullum behind the stumps (2-43). Captain Mohammad Ashraful padded up to a ball from Martin that jagged back and was lbw for naught (3-47).
Tamim and Shahriar Nafees batted confidently in a 35-run stand but with minutes from lunch Nafees (16) tried to slog-sweep Daniel Vettori from outside off. Vettori just held the ball back a bit and went through the batsman's defences. Aftab Ahmed was a study in patience in a total contrast to his typical nature. He batted for 33 minutes and then not getting off the mark got to him as he played across to a straight ball from Jacob Oram and was bowled right after lunch (5-98).
Two runs later Tamim (53 off 88 balls), who had negotiated the short balls competently until then, could not get on top of a Martin bouncer that climbed on him and was taken in gully. Tamim had looked at ease as long as he was there and drove, cut and flicked with assurance and not one stroke was hit in the air. Mashrafe Mortaza made 22 in rather ungainly style where he repeatedly backed away to the pacers and hit streaky fours through the off side, but Bangladesh lost their last wicket in 46.1 overs.
Left-arm seamer Sajidul Islam opened the bowling with Shahadat Hossain as Mortaza was given time to get over some side-muscle stiffness. The debutant didn't disappoint. He struck with his eighth delivery in Tests when he had Craig Cumming lbw with one that swung in (5-1). Peter Fulton (14) was undone by pace when Shahadat set him up with some short balls and then slipped in a length ball that hit the top of the off stump (2-31). The Bangladesh pacers struggled with line and length and gave away a four-ball almost every over. Still there were some good ones in the right areas also and Sajidul got his second scalp when Fleming, who had creamed the off side with some delightful drives, played loosely at an away swinger and was caught by 'keeper Mushfiqur Rahim (3-58).
Mortaza bowled a fast spell, continuously pushing the 140kmph region and his perseverance paid off when Matthew Sinclair (29) was adjudged lbw by umpire Peter Parker who had refused another convincing shout a ball earlier (4-121 in 30.5 overs).
Throughout the innings opener Matthew Bell (74 not out) was a model of stability. He waited for the bad balls from the pacers and confidently saw off left-arm spinner Enamul Haque Jr. who found no turn. Bell was however lucky as early in his innings umpire Parker turned down an appeal for lbw from Shahadat although replays suggested that the ball was going to hit the leg stump.
“The pitch was a sporting one with something in it for both the batsmen and the bowlers. It was good to get a fifty on debut but I am not entirely happy because I could not convert it into a big score which I had targetted,” said Tamim.
Coach Jamie Siddons felt the effort could have been so much better.
“There was nothing unusual in that wicket. We looked comfortable and then got out. I am also not at all pleased with the bowling. We weren't consistent enough and the bowlers gave away a four almost every over. We had built up pressure over three overs and Mortaza got a wicket. We had bowled in good areas in patches and that's why they are four down but it could have been a lot better for us,” said Siddons.
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