New Zealand cruise in 1st Bangladesh Test
Devon Conway had a century in his sights as New Zealand went to tea at 147 for two on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
Conway was unbeaten on 88 at the Bay Oval with Ross Taylor, who received a standing ovation as he walked out in his penultimate Test, on four.
The sole Bangladesh success in the middle session was to run out Will Young and snap a 138-run stand with Conway.
After a shaky start by New Zealand, Young and Conway appeared to have taken control until Young called for a quick single and did not regain his crease by the barest of margins after being sent back.
New Zealand were in early trouble when captain Tom Latham not only lost the toss but was also out for one in the fourth over after the hosts were put in to bat.
Conway survived a vociferous lbw shout on an umpires call before he had opened his account as Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam bowled testing lines and extracted good movement through the air and off the pitch.
After the first hour, New Zealand had only 15 runs on the board from 13 overs before Conway and Young took control.
Conway, in his first full international since breaking his hand during the T20I World Cup, brought up his 50 pulling Mehidy Hasan high over the boundary.
With that, he became the first New Zealander to pass the half-century mark four times in his first seven Test innings.
The left-hander, almost assured of taking over the number four slot when Taylor bows out of Test cricket at the end of this series, smacked two more deliveries to the boundary in the same over.
His 88 at tea included 13 fours as well as the six.
Bangladesh missed a chance to remove Young in the first over after lunch when a Shoriful delivery swung away late and was well taken by an athletic Liton Das.
There was no appeal by Bangladesh, who thought the ball had beaten the bat, but Ultra Edge technology indicated the ball shaved the outside edge and had there been an appeal, Young would have been out for 27.
He was to add another 25 runs before being run out when a pinpoint throw to wicketkeeper Das saw the first bail lift off the wicket just as his bat reached the crease line.