Published: Jan 13, 2017, 11:10 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 13, 2017, 07:28 PM (IST)
Day Two of the first Test at Basin Reserve in Wellington was completely owned by Bangladesh, thanks to a sublime show of batsmen-ship by Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim. New Zealand, all throughout the day, found no solution to the belligerency displayed by Shakib and Mushfiqur. Shakib in particular stared for the visitors’ getting to a squash-buckling double ton. By the end of the day, Bangladesh, riding high on the 359-run stand between Shakib and Mushfiqur were supremely placed at 542 for 7 at stumps with three days of cricket still remaining. The pair also recorded the highest partnership stand for the fifth wicket for Bangladesh against all nations on 271. With nothing working right for New Zealand, Kane Williamson brought himself on to bowl.
Mushfiqur and Shakib continued to pound runs against Tim Southee and Neil Wagner. Shakib in particular took charge on Wagner hitting two back-to-back boundaries off the hook shot. Shakib was lucky to survive as wicketkeeper BJ Watling spilled a tough catch down the leg side. On the score of 417, Bangladesh achieved their second-highest team score away from home, surpassing the 416 set in 2004 against West Indies at Gros Islet. Shakib raced past his highest Test score of 144 against Pakistan after hitting a boundary off Colin de Grandhomme.
LIVE Cricket Scorecard: Bangladesh vs New Zealand, 1st Test Wellington
Shakib soon notched up his first-ever score of 150 off 191 balls. The pair went past yet another partnership record for the fifth wicket against New Zealand, when they crossed the score of 281. They now have the highest ever run stand for the fifth wicket, previously set by Asif Iqbal and Javed Miandad at Lahore in 1976.
It took just a couple of overs for Shakib and Mushfiqur to go past the highest record stand for Bangladesh in Tests. They broke previous best by Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes’ stand of 312 run against Pakistan at Khulna as recently as in 2015.
Meanwhile, Shakib also crossed another record for Bangladesh, as he hit 28 fours in an innings that is the most for any batsmen in Tests.
The pair brought up their 350-run stand in 474 balls. In quick time Shakib went on to achieve a memorable record for himself, becoming only the third player for Bangladesh to hit a double ton. Shakib went past his double ton in 253 balls.
Mushfiqur had a double century to his name could not add the second as he departed for 159. Boult finally got one ball to move away from the batsman who edged the ball straight into the hands of the wicketkeeper. This also brought an end to the mammoth 359 run partnership, which mind you is the fourth highest for fifth wicket in Tests.
Shakib soon crossed his teammate Tamim’s record of 206 runs and achieved the honor of being Bangladesh’s highest ever-individual scorer in Test. Sabbir Rahman in the middle joined Shakib. Tiredness crept in for Shakib as a lazy cut shot brought an end to his innings of 217 runs. Wagner got the ball to shape into the batsman, Shakib devoid of any room, managed to chop the ball on to his stumps.
Wagner stuck on the last ball of the day, getting the wicket of Mehedi Hasan for nought. Mehedi tried to go for the expansive drive gave a catch to the ever alert Southee at slip. Going into stumps Bangladesh were on 542 for 7 survived by Sabbir (16*).
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 542 for 7 (Mominul Haque 64, Shakib Al Hasan 217, Mushfiqur Rahim 159 ; Neil Wagner 3 for 124 ) vs New Zealand.
