New Zealand thrash Bangladesh in Wellington Test

Sport Desk: New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson smashed an unbeaten hundred to thrash Bangladesh by seven wickets in the first of a two-match Test series in Wellington.

 

After a brilliant performance in the first innings, Bangladesh stumbled in the second innings and only scored 160 runs, setting the hosts a target of 217 runs in 57 overs.  

 

Bangladesh began the fifth and final day at 66/3, leading by 122 runs with 7 wickets remaining. The Tigers managed to add only 94 runs which took the lead to 216.

 

 

Country's ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan started the fifth day with Mominul Haque who was unbeaten on 10 in the previous day. Shakib, who had the highest Test score for Bangladesh in the previous innings, went for a duck. Mominul also added only 13 runs more and was out for 23.

 

Sabbir Rahman smashed a fifty to take the lead past 200. Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim who did not keep gloves for thump injury came in batting and looked firm but again he had to leave the field on a stretcher being hit on the helmet. He added 13 runs facing 53 balls.

 

 

Imrul Kayes, another retired hurt of the previous day, came in batting and kept doing so until the last batsman Subashis Roy was bowled by Trent Boult. Kayes was unbeaten on 36.    

 

Boult claimed 3 wickets for 53 in the second innings while Mitchell Santner and Neil Wagner got 2 wickets each.

 

Chasing a 217-run target off 57 overs, New Zealand started well. However, spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz struck twice and picked up the openers within 39 runs.

 

 

From there on, skipper Kane Williamson and senior batsman Ross Taylor made a 163-run partnership in the third wicket to take away the match from the Tigers.

 

Taylor scored 60 before getting caught by Miraz off Subashis Roy in the 37th over, only 15 runs from the victory.

 

Williamson made no mistake and finished it with a brilliant hundred. He was not out for 104 off only 90 balls and hit 15 boundaries. New Zealand reached the target with seven wickets in hand and 17 overs left in the day.

 

 

Miraz took 2 wickets for 66 while Subashis the other for 32.

 

The second and final Test of the series will start on January 20 at Christchurch.

 

Brief Scores:

 
Bangladesh: 595/8d (152 overs), Shakib 217, Mushfiqur 159, Mominul 64, Tamim 56, Sabbir 54* (Wagner 4/151, Boult 2/131, Southee 2/158) and 160 (57.5 overs), Sabbir 50, Kayes 36*, Tamim 25, Mominul Haque 23, Mushfiqur 13 (retired hurt) (Boult 3/53, Santner 2/34, Wagner 2/37).

 

New Zealand: 539 (148.2 overs), Latham 177, Santner 73,  Williamson 53, Nicholls 53, Watling 49, (Rabbi 3/87, Shakib 2/78, Subashis 2/89, Mahmudullah 2/15, Taskin 1/141) and 217/3 (39.4 overs), Williamson 104*, Taylor 60 (Miraz 2/66, Subashis 1/32).

 

Result: New Zealand won by 7 wickets.

Man of the Match: Tom Latham (New Zealand).

 

risingbd/DHAKA/16 Jan 2017/Augustin Sujan