New Zealand wins after defiant tons from Soumya, Mahmudullah

Sports Desk: New Zealand have wrapped up victory after defiant tons from Soumya Sarkar and Mahmudullah.

New Zealand 715 for 6 dec (Williamson 200*, Latham 161, Raval 132) beat Bangladesh 234 (Tamim 126, Wagner 5-47) and 424 for 8 (Soumya 149, Mahmudullah 146, Boult 5-123) by an innings and 52 runs.

Soumya Sarkar thrived under pressure taking blows to the body and getting battered by short deliveries but yet counter-attacking with efficiency to smash his maiden Test ton and equal record for fastest hundred scored by a Bangladesh batsman in Tests.

Tamim Iqbal had long held the record as his own when he struck 100 off 94 deliveries against England at Lord’s in 2010. Soumya matched the feat today with a 94-ball ton against a New Zealand attack which tested his patience and his ability to find a formula and adapt to the short-ball strategy the Kiwi quicks devised for the Bangladesh batsmen -- one that reaped rewards already in this Test match when Bangladesh first innings crumbled to just 234 despite a brilliant ton from Tamim Iqbal.

Bangladesh started the day at 126 for four, trailing New Zealand by 307 more runs. While the runs on the board will not matter given New Zealand’s massive first innings lead, Soumya together with Mahmudullah Riyad – who reached fifty – has put on a 159-run partnership so far, spending valubale time at the crease.

Soumya has struck 14 boundaries and five sixes to reach his ton with couple of those sixes coming off bouncers that Kiwi quicks challenged him with. His innings finally stopped on 149 after a Trent Boult delivery nipped back a little bit, with Soumya trying to play across the line and glanced his pads before disturbing his stumps. Soumya struck a 171-ball 149 with 21 fours and five sixes before he was the fifth Bangladesh wicket to fall.


risingbd/Dhaka/March 3, 2019/Mukul