All the action from day two of the first test between the Black Caps and Bangladesh from Seddon Park in Hamilton.
As it happened: Black Caps v Bangladesh, first test, day two from Seddon Park
NZ Herald
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Black Caps opener Jeet Raval. Photo / Photosport
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Bangladesh were poised to give the Black Caps a fierce fight, but then Neil Wagner put them on the back foot - literally.
Wagner's traditional short-ball barrage was too much for the visitors to handle, as they wasted an exceptional innings from Tamim Iqbal, slumping from 121-1 to 234 all out on day one of the first test at Hamilton's Seddon Park.
At stumps, the Black Caps had waltzed to 86-0, to take a semblance of control which didn't look likely when Iqbal was unleashing.
Early on, the Bangladesh opener was on track to become just the seventh player to score a century before lunch on the first day of a test. While he ended up 15 runs short of that honour, he reached his ninth test century shortly after lunch, needing just 100 balls to raise his bat and soak in the applause from his teammates, and an alarmingly sparse crowd.
After failing in the one-day series, Iqbal's bold strategy was to continue batting like he was playing an ODI, and this time it worked, as Bangladesh flew out of the gates. Tim Southee was going at eight an over, 25 overs went by without a maiden, and with some early contributions from Shadman Islam, Bangladesh raced to three figures in no time.
Facing a team so potent with the new ball, Bangladesh's opening stand of 57 was the biggest against New Zealand in tests since 2017, and having seen off Southee and Trent Boult after toss-winning captain Kane Williamson had described the pitch as 'not normal', it sure was an unusual start.
The following two sessions though were more familiar though, as Wagner made his mark. He had opened his account before lunch – strangling Mominul Haque down the legside as he tried to leave a bouncer - and it was a sign of what was to come.
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His victims all fell into the same predictable trap. Mohammad Mithun tried to hook a ball from outside off stump and skied it to midwicket, Mahmudullah and Liton Das both top edged pulls into the awaiting gullet of Boult at fine leg, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz fended a delivery straight to Henry Nicholls at short leg, as Wagner picked up where he left off.
