Lower order effort puts Bangladesh 130 ahead
New Zealand faced the tricky job of dismounting Bangladesh's 130-run lead after the visitors completed their second-longest Test innings for 458 all out. The home side reached 10 runs for no loss in the three overs they played before the lunch break.
Bangladesh's 176.2 overs batted is also the most by a visiting side in New Zealand in 12 years. They played 20.2 overs in the morning session with Yasir Ali and Mehidy Hasan Miraz taking their seventh-wicket stand to 75 runs. Mehidy made 47 off 88 balls with some attractive boundaries among his eight.
He started the day with two lbw calls reversed through review, in the first 15 minutes. Mehidy inside edged both Rachin Ravindra and Neil Wagner, with the on-field umpires adjudging both as out. Yasir Ali got the partnership going with a nice straight driven four off Tim Southee off the second delivery with the third new ball.
Mehidy then struck three fours, the second of which brought up Bangladesh's 100-run lead. But the partnership ended when he edged Southee, who got his first wicket in his 36th over. It was his first wicket in 468 balls since getting eight wickets against India in the Kanpur Test in November.
Kyle Jamieson also got his first wicket when he had Yasir caught down the leg-side for 26. Southee added a second when he had Taskin Ahmed lbw, before Trent Boult took his fourth wicket - clean bowling Shoriful Islam.
The Yasir-Mehidy partnership was the perfect follow-up to Bangladesh's memorable third day when they added 226 runs, losing four wickets. Mominul Haque and Litton Das added 158 runs for the fifth wicket, as Litton superbly counter-attacked with beautiful pull shots, drives and cuts, while Mominul grafted at the other end, only playing a few cover drives while nudging and nurdling for most of his runs.
Mominul top scored with 88 off 244 balls with 12 fours while Litton struck ten fours in his 177-ball 86. This was the first time Bangladesh's top eight batters all faced more than 50 balls in a Test innings.
Source: ESPNcricinfo
