Raval falls after Bangladesh declare on 595

New Zealand conceded their second-biggest total after opting to field as Bangladesh declared on 595 for 8 on the third morning in Wellington. Then, Kamrul Islam Rabbi made the visitors` day even better when he had Jeet Raval caught behind with his first ball of the match.

Raval and Tom Latham had negotiated 16 overs together, recording their first partnership of fifty or more, but a little bit of extra bounce separated them with less than 10 minutes to lunch.

Bangladesh had one area of concern though. Their captain Mushfiqur Rahim did not take the field as the blows he took on his hand while batting had injured his fingers. Imrul Kayes took on the wicketkeeping duties and Tamim Iqbal took on the leadership duties.

Armed with scoreboard pressure, Bangladesh asked all the right questions on a flat pitch. With Mehedi Hasan taking the new ball, it was the first time a frontline spinner opened the bowling in the first innings of a Test in New Zealand. He got Raval to nick a flighted offbreak in the third over, but the ball went wide of first slip. A far more straightforward chance arrived in Taskin Ahmed`s first over on debut as he had Raval pinned to the crease and pushing at a back of a length ball. The edge flew low to Shakib Al Hasan`s right at third slip, but he couldn`t hold on.

That was the second drop of the day after Latham had shelled Sabbir Rahman on 31. The reprieved batsman went on to make 54 not out, helping Bangladesh add 53 runs to their overnight total in 16 overs. Neil Wagner was New Zealand`s best bowler, picking up 4 for 151 in 44 overs while his team-mate Tim Southee gave away the most runs he ever has in a home Test, 158 at an economy rate of 4.64.

There were suggestions that Bangladesh should have called the innings to a close earlier than they did. But considering they have rarely been in positions where they could effectively take out the possibility of them losing an overseas Test, it was perhaps understandable.

Source: espncricinfo