Published: Tuesday, October 22, 2013

2nd Test: Rain forces early stop again

Star Online Report

Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan celebrates after taking a wicket in the second Test against New Zealand at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur of the capital. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

The second match of the two-Test series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium between Bangladesh and New Zealand was forced to an early end due to rain.
Bangladesh claimed three wickets against New Zealand before rain halted the second day’s play in Mirpur Test Tuesday.
The visitors scored 107 runs before rain interrupted, trailing the Tigers by 175 runs in the match.
Ross Taylor was batting on 37 with Kane Williamson accompanying him at the crease on 28.
Left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan dismissed all three Kiwi batsmen, as Peter Fulton, Hamish Rutherford and Brendon McCullum were out for 14, 13 and 11 respectively.
Earlier, a fierce spell of fast bowling from pacer Neil Wagner caused plenty of problems for the hosts as the Tigers’ first innings ended on 282.
The hosts lost their remaining five wickets in the morning session of the second day after winning the toss and electing to bat first.
Wagner collected his first five-wicket haul in Tests in the process, claiming five wickets for 64 runs.
He was well supported by spinner Ish Sodhi, who also claimed two scalps in the morning.
Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was the first batsman to depart in the morning as he edged a fuller ball from Wagner and offered a simple chance to Peter Fulton at gully after scoring 18.
Sodhi then dismissed Nasir, who was out caught to Ross Taylor in the slip on 19.
Sohag Gazi then attempted to put up a fight as he launched a six and a boundary off the bowling off Wagner.
However, he was out caught to Kane Williamson for 14 off the bowling of the same bowler after a heated exchange of words with him.
Wagner also dismissed Rubel Hossain for 4, before Sodhi came back to claim the wicket of Abdur Razzak, who scored 13.
Bangladesh made one change to their team from the first Test, as pacer Al-Amin Hossain was handed down his debut, replacing injured pacer Robiul Islam.
The visitors also made a change in their squad, replacing left-arm spinner Bruce Martin with left-arm fast bowler Neil Wagner.
The first Test in the series was a drawn game, with several Bangladeshi players achieving significant personal milestones.
Sohag Gazi made history as he became the first player in the history of Test cricket to claim a hat-trick and score a century in the same match.
Mominul Haque also scored a classy 181 in the first innings, thus registering the third highest individual Test tally for Bangladesh.
The Black Caps are looking to erase the daunting memories of the ODI whitewash in 2010 with a series win here.
The Tigers, on the other hand, look to finally win a Test against New Zealand — who they have lost to eight times and drawn with twice.
SQUADS
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Marshall Ayub, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Mominul Haque, Sohag Gazi, Rubel Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Mushfiqur Rahim
New Zealand
BB McCullum, Corey J Anderson, DAJ Bracewell, IS Sodhi, N Wagner, PG Fulton, LRPL Taylor, BJ Watling, HD Rutherford, KS Williamson, TA Boult