The aggressive approach of Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto cost him his wicket late in the morning session, as Bangladesh went into the lunch interval on 104-2 on the first day of their Sylhet Test against New Zealand today.
Shanto threw away his wicket with less than 10 minutes to go before lunch, top-edging a full toss delivery from part-time spinner Glenn Philipps and being caught by Kane Williamson.
Philipps’ wicket, his first in Test cricket, ended a 53-run partnership between Shanto and Mahmudul Hasan Joy and helped the visitors close the session even.
Joy is currently on 42 runs and is joined in the middle by Mominul Haque, who is unbeaten on three.
Earlier in the innings, Ajaz Patel, a left-arm spinner, struck Zakir Hasan’s off stump with a sharp turning delivery, ending his innings on 12.
Joy and Zakir batted first and effectively overcame New Zealand pacers Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson’s opening spell.
After the seamers failed to make a breakthrough, Southee bowled to Ajaz, who broke the opening stand on 39 with a brilliant turning delivery, foreshadowing what was to come later in the match.
Shanto, who has taken over as captain in place of the injured Shakib Al Hasan, then came to the middle with a definite plan to attack the Kiwi spinners and disturb them.
He began his innings with a six straight down the ground against Ajaz, followed by a four off the spinner two balls later.
Shanto hammered Ajaz for two more sixes and a four, forcing Southee to remove the spinner from the attack.
However, his too forceful approach led to his departure.
The ground at Sylhet has already shown hints of turn and uneven bounce, which should help the hosts, who have three spinners – Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, and Taijul Islam – and only one pacer in Shoriful Islam – for the encounter.