Two more wickets in mid-session, match in balance

Kane Williamson remains not outShamsul Hoque Tanku

Bangladesh bowlers picked up two more wickets but New Zealand batters fought on as the match rested in balance at the tea break of the second day of their first Test at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Pacer Shoriful Islam and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam got one wicket each in the session where spinners got a lot of help but kiwi batter Kane Williamson remained not out on 66 as his team was on 168-4 during the break.

Keeper Nurul Hasan was involved in both the dismissals as Shoriul found an edge in the first ball of his return spell to remove Henry Nicholls for 19 when the score was 98.

Hosts got another success very late in the session when Daryll Mitchell, who scored 41, danced down the track against left-arm spinner Taijul Islam just to see him missing the ball and Nurul completing the stumping.

But Mitchell would have been out for just four had Nurul not made a huge mistake. Shoriful, after picking up a wicket, was on fire and induced an edge in the very next over from the new batter but the umpire thought otherwise.

Shoriful Islam celebrates a wicket with team mates
Shamsul Hoque Tanku

Despite the bowler and the slip fielder were excited, keeper Nurul asked the captain not to go for a review and the reply proved he was wrong.
Taijul made an even greater mistake just a couple of overs before tea when he dropped Williamson off Nayeem Hasan which could be the potential turning point of the match.  

Bangladesh picked up only pacer Shoriful in the eleven and he started the attack with Miraz but New Zealand batters looked solid against the new ball in the first session.

Devon Conway and Tom Latham could not pick up runs at a brisk pace but they did not seem in much danger before Taijul got the latter in the fifth ball of the 13th over when the score was 36.

Taijul, who was bowling his first over, bowled outside the leg and as the left-handed batter tried to sweep it was lobbed to the backward square leg where Naeem Hasan held the catch to dismiss Latham for 21.

Three overs later, Miraz drifted a delivery and tall Conway, who made 12 off 40, was a bit late in his stride as he edged one to pad and lobbed in the silly mid-off where Shahadat Hossain the debutant held a sharp diving catch. New Zealand were reduced to 44-2 in 15.3 overs.

Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls saw off till the drinks when they were not out on 26 and 11 respectively.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand needed just a single delivery to take the last Bangladesh wicket. Tim Southee dismissed overnight batter Shorfiul Islam leg before with the aid of DRS.

On the first day, after winning the toss many of the Bangladesh batters got started but only Mahmudul Hasan, who made 86, got past 50.

Glenn Philips got four wickets while Aijaz Patel and Kyle Jamieson got two wickets each.