After losing the first Test to Bangladesh in  Mount Maunganui, New Zealand captain Tom Latham and Devon Conway came with a thumping response on day one of the second Test in Christchurch adding 201 runs in the unbeaten second-wicket partnership on Sunday. 

While Latham is marching to his double ton, Conway is just one run away from his second century in this series. Riding on their grand effort, at the end of day one, New Zealand were batting at 349 for one in 90 overs. 

Bangladeshi bowlers were clearly clueless on day one after winning the toss and opted to bowl first. Hero of Bangladesh’s maiden win against New Zealand, Ebadot Hossain, bowled 21 overs only concede 114 runs at a high economy rate of 5.4. 

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Bangladesh’s only success came through Shoriful Islam when he removed Will Young for 54.

Ebadot managed to convince the umpire twice to raise his finger against Latham, but on both occasions, Latham went for a review and DRS came forward to rescue the hosts’ captain. Bangladesh also missed a chance when Young was put down at seven. 

Barring these chances to remove the Kiwi batters, Bangladesh failed to do anything with the ball apart from some outside edges on day one.

After putting to bat first in the wicket with some grass on it, New Zealand made a good start as the openers— Latham and Young— posted 148 runs in the opening stand which was more than enough to let down the Bangladeshi bowling attack which was imperious in the first Test of the series. 

Latham’s unbeaten 186 is now the fourth-highest score by a batter in Test in a single day. Nathan Astle topped the list with 222 runs that he notched up against England in 2002 on  day four while Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum had scored 209 and 195 against Australia and Sri Lanka in 2015 and 2014 on day three and one respectively.

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Wounded from the defeat in the first match, New Zealand took the commanding position of the second Test from the ball one. And Bangladesh are going to have some tough days ahead in this Test. 

Bangladesh fielded Mohammad Naim, the debutant, and Nurul Hasan Sohan in this Test to replace injured Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Mushfiqur Rahim. While Joy suffered a blow on his right hand that needed three stitches, Mushfiqur is out with a groin injury. 

With Mushfiqur being out of the XI, it was the first time in 16 years when Bangladesh was playing a Test without any of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mushfiqur, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah Riyad who had long been considered core-member of Bangladesh’s cricket team in all format.