New Zealand bounced back after the hiccup in the first Test and crushed Bangladesh, but, the visitors would return home as the first Asian side, who are undefeated in a Test series in New Zealand in recent times. Certainly, Bangladesh have played well and earned a lot of accolades and it would be better if they build on it.
Ross Taylor finishes his Test career with a wicket to clinch a huge win and 12 #WTC23 points for New Zealand! ?#NZvBAN pic.twitter.com/UaibIuSyxO
— ICC (@ICC) January 11, 2022
New Zealand have bounced back from the Mount Maunganui reversal, and how! They made 349 for 1 on the first day of the second Test in Christchurch after being asked to bat, with Tom Latham leading the way with an unbeaten 186, his first century as captain. Devon Conway had another great day, though he might have a nervous night as he finished the day on 99. And Will Young, the only man to be dismissed, hit 54.
Latham and Conway have added 201 runs for the unbroken second wicket, following the 148-run stand between Young and Latham for the first wicket. It was the first hundred-plus stand for the opening wicket in the first innings in New Zealand since 2012. And they have already put on more runs than ever before for the first two wickets in a Test in New Zealand, topping West Indies’ 289 in 2000.
Tom Latham is dismissed for 252 ?
This is the highest ever individual Test score at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Watch #NZvBAN on https://t.co/WngPr0Ns1J (in selected regions) #WTC23 pic.twitter.com/nT4XBhyofC
— ICC (@ICC) January 10, 2022
The Bangladesh bowling was pedestrian at best on the day as they conceded 44 boundaries in 90 overs. Ebadot Hossain, the star of the Mount Maunganui win, went wicketless in his 21 overs, conceding 114 runs. Shoriful Islam took the only wicket to fall while Taskin Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan Miraz couldn’t quite stem the run flow.
On Day 2, New Zealand dismantled the opposition’s batting line-up. Bangladesh were reeling on 27 for 5 shortly after tea, and ended the second day 126 all out, behind by a mammoth 395 runs.
Trent Boult reached 300 Test wickets with his fourth of the innings, clean bowling Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
He joined Sir Richard Hadlee, Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee as the fourth New Zealander to reach the landmark. He is also the fifth left-arm fast bowler to take 300 wickets.
Sir Richard Hadlee
Daniel Vettori
Tim Southee
TRENT BOULT ?The pacer today became only the fourth New Zealand bowler to take 300 Test wickets ?#NZvBAN pic.twitter.com/hHzj4At1eJ
— ICC (@ICC) January 10, 2022
Before the bowling carnage, Latham made the highest score by a Kiwi captain opening the innings. He made 252 to cross Graham Dowling’s 239 against India in 1968. Latham’s innings guided New Zealand to 521 for 6, with stands of 148 and 215 for the first and second wickets. One of those was with Devon Conway who made his third century in only his fifth Test.
All those big runs set the ideal platform for Boult and Southee who swung the ball around on command. Boult got his ninth five-wicket haul, while Southee and Kyle Jamieson shared five between them.
On Day 3, New Zealand gave Ross Taylor a memorable farewell from Test cricket with an innings-and-117-run win against Bangladesh in Christchurch inside three days. That helped the home side square the series after they had lost the first Test by eight wickets. Taylor, with his family in attendance at Hagley Oval, took the last wicket of the Test when Tom Latham held his sixth catch of the match, from a miscued slog by Ebadot Hossain.
Bangladesh were bowled out for 278 in their second innings after following on, with four wickets for Jamieson and three for Wagner.
But it was Litton Das’ counter-attack in the third session, which gave him his second Test hundred, that was one of the highlights of the day.
?? @LittonOfficial is a classic player. Soumya Sarker as well. But they’re a victim of obsession with shorter format.
Still today, our think tank has not understood which player should be ideal for a particular format.
Well played Liton! #NZvBAN https://t.co/MU1DDn66JV
— Faisal Caesar (@faisalyorker1) January 11, 2022
Litton, who took 46 balls to score his first boundary, had reached 33 off 64 balls when he changed the mood. He struck 17 runs off Jamieson in the 59th over, hitting him for two fours and an upper-cut six. Both fours were pulled, dissecting a packed on-side field. He then struck four boundaries off Trent Boult with some delightful shots. After getting to his half-century off a guided four through point, he drove Boult through mid-off, cover and straight down the ground, arguably his best shot of the innings.
Litton had taken 35 runs off 12 balls in that period, and the sixth-wicket partnership had crossed the 100 mark. Nurul only needed to hold one end up. Instead, he holed out to mid-off where Wagner took a diving catch to his left.
“He is technically very sound. He gets a lot of time like world-class players. He always ensures he scores off the bad balls. He waits for a long time for the bad balls and then makes it count. He has scored two centuries in consecutive series. Everyone, including myself, was really enjoying his batting,” said Mominul Haque.
What a way to finish the Test! @RossLTaylor takes his THIRD Test wicket to finish the Test inside 3 days at Hagley Oval. We finish the series 1-1 with @BCBtigers. #NZvBAN pic.twitter.com/2GaL0Ayapr
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 11, 2022
Litton has proved his worth has given the Bangladeshi think tank a lot to ponder.
But the third day was all about the fitting farewell to the illustrious Test career of Ross Taylor.
“I was getting pressure from the crowd and also the boys, to bowl (Taylor),” Latham said after the innings victory that helped New Zealand square the series.
“But the umpires played their part as well. It was very dark out there. They said we couldn’t bowl seamers, I guess that left one decision, to bowl Ross. It couldn’t be scripted any better.”
Hear from @RossLTaylor on @sparknzsport after his final Test match for New Zealand. #NZvBAN pic.twitter.com/rsw80ycoMZ
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 11, 2022
“Everyone wanted me to take that catch. It was pretty special to sign off the Test match like that. Ross has been absolutely amazing for New Zealand cricket for 17 years. We are looking forward to celebrating with his family tonight.”
Taylor said later that it was an emotional occasion, but the wicket – his third in 112 Tests – made it that much more special.
“We played fantastically well. Bangladesh put us under pressure. The way we came out and bowled put them under pressure,” Taylor told Spark Sports.
“It was an emotional game for me, my family and friends, as well as the team. It got quite flat there towards the end. I chucked it up, and Tom said it was the most pressure has felt in a game! It was a great way to finish.”
“(I have learnt from his) calm nature, the fact that he has scored runs in all parts of the world, to learn from him how he goes about things… How he approaches different bowlers. He has had a significant impact on us as a group, and also New Zealand cricket,” Latham said.
“He inspired generations. He inspired me to play cricket. He is someone I always look up to. To play cricket with him, and the final Test with him is pretty special.”
Note: Input from ESPNricinfo