Mount Maunganui (New Zealand), Jan 4: Ebadot Hossain bowled Bangladesh to the brink of a famous victory over World Test Champion New Zealand in a fiery spell Tuesday on the fourth day of the first cricket test.
On a pitch on which Bangladesh and New Zealand collectively amassed 786 runs in their first innings – with the tourists taking a 130-run lead – Ebadot reduced New Zealand to 147-5 at stumps, a lead of only 17 runs.
After dismissing first innings century-maker Devon Conway for 13, Ebadot removed Will Young (69), Henry Nicholls (0) and Tom Blundell (0) in the space of six balls to fortify the strong position the Bangladesh batters had created.
New Zealand was just hanging on at stumps in the face of Ebadot’s aggressive swing bowling. Veteran Ross Taylor, in his penultimate test match before retirement, was 37 and allrounder Rachin Ravindra was 6.
Bangladesh hasn’t won any of its previous 43 matches in New Zealand across all three formats.
But the tourists have steadily got on top of New Zealand, and Ebadot rammed home their advantage on Tuesday, finishing the day with figures of 4-39. Bangladesh first dismissed New Zealand for 328, claiming the last five wickets for 70 runs to leave it short of a par score on a docile pith at the Bay Oval.
Bangladesh replied with 458, lifted by contributions of captain Mominul Haque (88), Liton Das (86), Mahmudul Hasan Joy (78) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (64).
Resuming on Tuesday at 401-6, Bangladesh added a further 57 through Mehidy Hasan (47) and Yasir Ali (26). When the tourists finally were all out, New Zealand had been in the field for more than 176 overs.
Latham again was out cheaply when he dragged a short ball from Taskin Ahmed onto his stumps. Ebadot had his first wicket when Conway was caught at slip by Shadman Islam.
Young had batted four hours for 69, his second half century of the match, when he chopped down on a short ball from Ebadot which came off the inside edge onto his stumps. Nicholls lasted only two balls before he was bowled by a fast in-swinger and Blundell fell lbw in the next over.
Taylor was dropped by Shadman off Mehidy when he was 17. (AP)
