Bangladesh is in a strong position in the opening test against New Zealand while Black Caps pacer Neil Wagner said that New Zealand failed to perform as a bowling unit.
Bangladesh batsmen Nazmul Hossain said that their batting unit did not put any pressure on them by setting big goals against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
Bangladesh is on 175/2 after the end of day 2 and 153 runs behind from the trail with eight wickets in hand. Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s made a great partnership, with 70 and 64 while Bangladesh is now in a strong position.
“We didn’t want to force the issue. We didn’t set big goals, like runs or overs. Joy batted well,”
Nazmul said, adding that he regrets losing his wicket after all the hard work.
“I think it would have been a better day had I remained unbeaten at the end too,”
he said.
Bangladesh spinner Mehidy Hasan said that the pace bowlers did a great job, adding that his focus was just to contain the batsmen.
“It was important to take the remaining five wickets as soon as possible when we started the day,”
said Mehidy.
“Among the bowlers, Shoriful set the tone as he took three vital wickets. Pace bowlers did not leak many runs and that was good for our spinners. It’s a tricky surface for spinners and I just focused on remaining patient and bowled in good areas with an eye not to score them easily,”
he said.
New Zealand pacer Neil Wagner said that Black Caps failed to perform as a bowling unit adding that a long break from Test cricket and returning to the longer format after T20 assignments also have taken a toll.
“We weren’t quite on as a bowling unit since we were playing in our home conditions after quite some time. We are coming from India. We played a lot of white-ball, T20 cricket. We are also coming out of isolation over this period. We didn’t string enough balls together as a group,”
said Wagner.
“Everyone tried hard but it wasn’t to be our day. But it is Test cricket: we have an opportunity tomorrow to fight harder, and get early wickets,”
he said.
“We didn’t bowl in partnerships. The wicket changed quite a lot. We will have to regroup, sit down together and talk about how we are going to bowl tomorrow. We have to be more patient ask questions and put them on to them. We have to bowl in partnerships tomorrow. If we take two or three quick wickets, the pressure is back on them. There’s still a lot of cricket left in this game,”
he added.