Kiwis tame high-flying Tigers

Just a few days after registering their most historic Test win, Bangladesh find themselves in a precarious situation following a subpar batting display on the second day of their second Test against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch today. 

Bangladesh, who registered their first-ever Test win over New Zealand in the first Test last week to lead the two-match series 1-0, now see themselves in danger of suffering a heavy defeat in the second Test as they trail by 395 runs after a batting debacle in their first innings.   

In reply to New Zealand's mammoth first-innings total of 521 for six declared, Bangladesh were bundled out for a meagre 126 with Kiwi pacer Trent Boult scalping his landmark 300th Test wicket on his way to bagging a fifer. 

On a day of multiple milestones for the hosts, Boult probably had the most pleasant one when he made Mehedi Hasan Miraz his 300th Test victim with a delivery that angled in to dismantle the stumps of the right-hander. 

Boult ended the day with figures of five for 43 in 13.2 overs.

Yasir Ali picked up his maiden Test fifty but his 95-ball 55 could not truly help the Tigers. He departed to Kyle Jamieson late on the day.  

Things could have been uglier for the visitors as they were reduced to 11 for four inside just 6.1 overs into their first innings. Liton Das and Yasir somewhat weathered the storm a little, helping the Tigers go for tea without any more hitches. 

However, Liton (8 off 18) fell just second ball post-tea, inside edging a Boult delivery all the way to the wicketkeeper. Liton's departure for a single-digit score meant that the top five batters of Bangladesh failed to even get past the 10-run mark as they were dismantled by the swing and pace of Boult and Tim Southee.

But Nurul Hasan Sohan, who came into the eleven as a replacement for injured Mushfiqur Rahim, and Yasir strung together a crucial 60-run stand to help Bangladesh put up some sort of resistance in the middle. 

Sohan looked to be in the groove. And the way he pounced on the short deliveries, pulling and cutting them for boundaries, only indicated that runs could be scored in plenty on the green surface at the Hagley Oval if the initial pace and swing can be dealt with, mostly through sound technique and by leaving the deliveries -- a concept seemed to be lost on the Bangladeshi top order batters today. 

Unfortunately, Sohan's 41-run knock came to an end when he was set up for a leg before by Southee. Nurul was hit on the pads by a delivery that angled in sharply after pitching and following a loud appeal, the umpire obliged. Nurul had reviewed the decision but it was revealed the ball would have clipped the leg stump and the umpire's call stayed. 

Earlier on the day, New Zealand, having resumed on 349 for one, went on to pile up a mammoth total, thanks to skipper Tom Latham's second Test double ton and Devon Conway's third Test century and second on the trot. 

Latham smashed 252 off 373 deliveries, which is now the highest score by any individual at the Hagley Oval in Tests, while Conway scored a 166-ball 109. 

Boult, Southee share spoils as Tigers suffer top-order collapse

Bangladesh see themselves in danger of suffering a heavy defeat as New Zealand pacers instigated a top-order collapse after posting a mammoth first-innings total at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch today. 

In reply to New Zealand's 521 for six declared, Bangladesh were reeling at 27 for four in 11 overs at tea on the second day of their second Test.

Mountain to climb and Bangladesh were reduced to 11 for four in just 6.1 overs into their first innings with Kiwi quicks Tim Southee and Trent Boult sharing the spoils. 

Tigers lost both their openers in successive overs, Shadman Islam in the second over when he hung his bat out to edge a swinging length delivery from Boult followed by Mohammad Naim who departed on a duck on his debut after inside edging a rising Southee delivery onto his stumps. 

Then Boult had Shanto caught at slip and Southee broke through the defenses of Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque as the Tigers were left reeling. 

However, Liton Das and Yasir Ali halted the rapid fall of wickets somewhat through their 16-run unbeaten stand but the Tigers will still have a humongous task at hand to save face in the game post-tea.     
     
 

Latham smashes 252 as NZ declare after posting a mammoth total    

Skipper Tom Latham recorded the highest total in Tests at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch as New Zealand added runs thick and fast post-lunch to post a mammoth first-innings total against Bangladesh on the second day of their second Test today. 

Latham's 373-ball 252, his only second-ever double ton in Tests, and Devon Conway's 109 helped the hosts pile up 521 for six before declaring their first innings. 

New Zealand had lost four wickets in the morning session, including the key wickets of Conway and Ross Taylor who is playing his last Test, but a mammoth overnight score of 349 for one meant that the hosts were still in firm control of the game. 

Coming to bat after the lunch break, New Zealand, who probably planned to bat once and big in this game, ratcheted up the scoring rate significantly as both Latham and Tom Blundell kept dealing in boundaries. 

Latham made his intentions clear when he smashed Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque for a six, four and six in successive deliveries to bring up his 250 in style. But the left-hander, trying to go for another big heave, was caught the very next ball as the wicket ended a magnificent knock that included a total of 34 boundaries and two maximums. 

But that did not tame down the Kiwi batters with Blundell bringing up his fifty off just 56 deliveries before the hosts finally decided they had enough on the board to probably attempt to take the 20 Bangladesh wickets.     

For Bangladesh, pacers Shoriful Islam and Ebadot Hossain scalped two wickets each. 

Tigers get quick wickets but NZ still on top

Bangladesh managed a few wickets but New Zealand still stayed in a dominating position as milestones from Kiwi skipper Tom Latham and Devon Conway saw the hosts add on to their already mammoth overnight score and set them on course for a huge first-innings total in their second Test at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. 

At lunch on the second day of their final Test today, New Zealand moved on to 423 for five with Latham unbeaten on 215. 

Conway, who resumed the day on 99, brought up his third Test ton and second on the trot off the very first delivery of the day. He guided a wayward Ebadot Hossain delivery off his leg past the wicketkeeper for a boundary to get to the three-figure mark. 

However, Conway was the first to fall on the day, courtesy of an alert Mehedi Hasan Miraz in the inner circle who had the left-hander run-out with a direct hit as he responded to skipper Latham's call for a quick single. 

Latham, who resumed the day on 186, brought up his second double ton in Tests with a magnificent cover drive but he too was lucky to survive after he had gotten to the milestone score. The left-hander, on 208, got a leading edge of a Taskin Ahmed short delivery that kept low but the bowler, despite a commendable effort, failed to hold on to a diving return catch. 

Latham survived and kept on going but saw the likes of Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls and Daryll Mitchell depart in quick succession. Taylor, trying to up the scoring rate, played one directly to the hands of the fielder at square leg, becoming the first scalp of last Test's hero Ebadot. 

Taylor, after a 39-ball 28, walked off to a standing ovation from the crowd and even a few pats on the back from the Bangladesh players after what could be his last showing with the willow in the whites for New Zealand. 

Later, Ebadot had induced an inside edge off the bat of Nicholls to have him caught behind and the morning session ended with Shoriful Islam removing Mitchell, also caught behind.       
 

Latham hits double ton, Conway strikes century as NZ keep piling misery on Tigers

Skipper Tom Latham struck his second Test double ton while Devon Conway brought up his third ton in the format before being dismissed as New Zealand kept on piling misery over Bangladesh on the second day of the second Test at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch today. 

Milestones were on the horizon for the hosts when they resumed the day on 349 for one. Conway was the first one to get there. In fact, he moved from the nervous overnight score of 99 off the very first ball of the day when he guided a delivery off his pads past the wicketkeeper for a boundary. 

Latham, who started the day on 186, took a bit time when on his 190s but eventually got to the landmark score through a scintillating cover drive off Taskin Ahmed for a four. 

Conway, however, was dismissed, courtesy of a brilliant bit of fielding from Mehedi Hasan Miraz, who hit with one timber to aim at to catch Conway short while trying to sneak a quick single. 

After 101 overs, New Zealand scored 387 for two with Latham unbeaten on 203 and Ross Taylor on 11 not out.