New Zealand spinners reduce Bangladesh to 80-4 at lunch

A lackluster batting effort led Bangladesh's downfall as they were reduced to 80-4 at lunch on opening day of the second Cricket test against New Zealand at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, reports BSS. 

Left-arm spinners Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel shared four wickets to wreck the havoc after Bangladesh Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to bat first.

Santer who replaced leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, returned figures of 2-24 and Patel claimed 2-32, much to the despair of the Bangladesh in a disappointing session.

New Zealand bowlers responded its Captain Tim Southee's plea to create a pressure for a longer period by maintaining a tight line and length to stifle Bangladesh openers Zakir Hasan and Mahmudul Hasan Joy.

Zakir Hasan drove Patel for a boundary through cover in the eight over to break the shackle but the Black Caps were unfazed by it.

The pressure eventually got the better of Zakir when he played a rash shot and chipped it straight to mid-on for 8.

In the next over, Patel who initially gave Mahmudul Hasan Joy a torrid time finally beat by the drift as the batter offered a catch to short-leg where Tom Latham gobbled it smartly.

Joy made 14.

Patel and Santner attacked relentlessly to keep Bangladesh at bay.

Mominul Haque (5) was the next to go when he edged a delivery behind to give Patel his second wicket.

But the biggest blow for Bangladesh came in the next over when Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (9), who hit a century in the previous test, threw his wicket after trying to play a reverse sweep against Santner.

Umpires turned down the appeal but New Zealand reviewed it successfully to leave Bangladesh 47-4.

Mushfiqur Rahim (18) and Shahadat Hossain (14) saw off the session without further trouble.