Neil Wagner produced a typically aggressive yet economical display to end with 2-27, but the rest of the Black Caps attack failed to fire. Video / Spark Sport
The brains trust of the Bangladesh cricket team had modest New Year's resolutions.
Head coach Russell Domingo wanted his team to put on a good performance against the Black Caps. Fast bowling coach Ottis Gibson wanted his bowlers to pitch the ball up and find some swing. Captain Mominul Haquewanted the group to stay positive.
So far, so good.
Bangladesh dominated day two of the first test against New Zealand, reaching 175-2 at stumps after bowling the hosts out for 328 at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval.
A winning position it is not – history provides many examples of the Black Caps bowlers rolling through sides cheaply once they break into the lower order – but for the visitors to even be in a solid position is a rarity in these conditions.
Bangladesh have never come remotely close to winning – or drawing - a test in New Zealand, and while they've had the odd big partnership, it usually comes when well behind in the contest.
Their best fight came in 2017, where they made 595-8 in the first innings in Wellington, and in Christchurch their first-innings deficit was only 65. Their eventual defeats – by seven and nine wickets – perhaps provide an indicator of what is to come.
Or maybe this side is different. Is it a younger squad, with batsmen who aren't scarred by previous Kiwi defeats. Two of them – Mahmudul Hasan Joy (70 not out) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (64) - produced an impressive century partnership, which sees the visitors trail by 153 runs with eight wickets remaining heading into day three.
The only Kiwi bowler to taste success was Neil Wagner, who produced a typically aggressive yet economical display to end with 2-27, but the rest of the Black Caps attack failed to fire.
Tim Southee beat the bat and drew some edges, but Kyle Jamieson couldn't find the lines and lengths that his previous dominance in home tests was built upon, and the most memorable moment of Trent Boult's spell saw a ball edged into the slips and ricochet into the stationary helmet sitting behind the wicketkeeper for five penalty runs.
In fairness to the seamers, the wicket wasn't providing much assistance, but that didn't stop Bangladesh in the morning, when the Black Caps bowlers also failed to fire with the bat.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz cleaned up the tail thanks to some ill-advised shots. Photo / Getty
From 258-5, the Black Caps tumbled to 328 all out. Rachin Ravindra's first international innings at home was not one to remember as he edged to third slip for four, while Jamieson and Southee both rashly holed out for six. Henry Nicholls was the only resistance, making 75, but the tail order's lack of assistance meant he too had to get aggressive and was the last man to go as the Black Caps produced their lowest first-innings score against Bangladesh at home.
In any proof was needed that the Black Caps' batting was to blame, it came with the relative ease that the Bangladesh top order navigated the wicket.
Shadman Islam and Joy added 43, surviving 19 overs until Wagner broke through with the first ball after drinks, inducing a leading edge from Shadman and taking a low, diving return catch.
Kyle Jamieson had a frustrating day with the ball against Bangladesh. Photo / Photosport
Joy and Shanto then combined for 104, though both had some good fortune. Shanto edged his third ball from Wagner but it dropped short of slip, with keeper Tom Blundell stationary when a dive may have reeled in a catch.
Wagner had himself to blame for giving Joy a letoff on 20, talking himself out of reviewing a rejected lbw appeal that would have been plumb had it gone upstairs. With Joy on 42, Blundell couldn't snare a tough inside edge off Wagner, while on the same score Joy edged a drive through a vacant third slip off, you guessed it, Wagner.
Southee got in on the action when Joy, on 61, sliced a ball to Nicholls in the gully who couldn't get his fingers under a tough low chance, while the opener also provided comic relief when inside edging Ravindra and in the process ending batless, repeat, batless, by flinging his instrument over Blundell's head.
When it looked like Bangladesh could reach stumps for just the loss of one wicket, Wagner struck, with a barrage of short balls followed by an outswinger that Shanto slapped to Will Young in the gully.
