Bangladesh toured New Zealand in 2021/22 for two Test matches and drew the series 1-1. Andrew Alderson’s report appeared in the 2023 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.
Bangladesh overcame seemingly insurmountable odds by registering their first Test win against New Zealand in their 16th attempt. Whether out of complacency or lack of skill, the world champion succumbed to the inexperienced but resourceful tourist. Eba Dutt’s dangerous pace in the first Test at Mount Maunganui ended New Zealand’s eight-game series win and his 17-game unbeaten home run, giving life to the second World Test Championship.
Given Bangladesh’s heterogeneous structure, the results were even more unusual. They recently lost two Tests at home to Pakistan and will travel to New Zealand without Mahmudullah (who withdrew from the November Test), Tamim Iqbal (thumb injury) and Shakib Al Hasan (who requested leave). I headed. They were scheduled to undergo a week’s quarantine in a hotel, but on the return flight, eight members of the group were deemed close contacts of COVID-19, and spin bowling coach Rangana Heras tested positive. , the quarantine period was extended for three days.
New Zealand were without captains Kane Williamson and Ajaz Patel due to elbow injuries, although they had scored in all 10 innings against India in Mumbai last month. Their pace quartet includes the returning Trent Boult and Neil Wagner, while Rachin Ravindra, a slow-bowling left-arm spinner, was selected as a hedge for the first Test, although Bangladesh We caught them by surprise and were wicketless.
It was surprising that the second test was held in Christchurch. There, many Bangladeshi athletes narrowly escaped death in the March 2019 anti-Muslim terrorist attack. New Zealand’s comeback was led by stand-in captain Tom Latham, who scored his second double Test century. Supporting him was Devon Conway, who was named Player of the Series after scoring 100 goals in all games. Ross Taylor retired from Tests at the end of the series, aged 37, having scored 7,683 runs, the most by a New Zealander. He made his final cameo with the ball, taking the series-tying wicket with a calm off-break.
Bangladesh Tour Group: Mominul Haque (c), Abu Jayed, Ebadat Hossain, Fazle Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Liton Das, Mahmudul Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Mohammad Naim, Mushfiqur Ra him, Nazmul Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Shadman Islam, Shahidul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Takin Ahmed, Yasir Ali. Coach: RC Domingo.
Originally Shakib al-Hasan was chosen, but he was asked to take leave and Fazul Mahmoud took his place.
First Test at Mount Maunganui, January 1-5, 2022: Bangladesh won by eight wickets
Bangladesh12 points. Pitching:Bangladesh.
Few people turned out to watch Bangladesh reach the target of 40 points for their first Test win against New Zealand, but the sparse presence of the players dancing in the outfield made them uncomfortable. There was little to do. They provided arguably the biggest surprise for a visiting New Zealand team since Sri Lanka recorded their first away Test win in Napier in 1994-95 – perhaps the biggest win in Bangladesh’s history. Their sixth victory in 60 overseas Tests was no coincidence. The world champion was outwitted and defeated.
The catalyst was Ebadat Hossain, who entered his 11th Test with 81 for 11 wickets. His second-inning 6-46, holding Young, Nichols and Blundell to seven pitches, was the best in any format. Originally a volleyball player, Ebadat was scouted by the Bangladesh Air Force in 2016 and dreamed of becoming as fast as Brett Lee. He may not have been such a fast bowler, but he was just as assertive, giving a military salute every time he took a wicket. Captain Mominul Haque said: “This is something we’ve expected for a long time.”
Until Ebadat’s heroics, New Zealand were in the game. By the end of the first day they were on 227- thanks to Young’s smart accumulation (after thinking single-wicket to mid-wicket before being run out without being able to regain his place) and Conway’s second Test century. It was 3. Conway continued his round-the-clock stroke play, becoming England’s first player to score 200 hits. His series of rotations on the back foot proved a valuable antidote to the pace and momentum of green pitches. There was no reason to expect an upturn in New Zealand’s fortunes, even though they posted a below-average total of 328 the next day as the lower-order teams around Nichols weakened.
What surprised me was how patient Bangladesh fought. The top eight finished in double digits, and his second and third days enjoyed perfect conditions as the Bay Oval strip was scorched by the sun. They won a war of attrition against the likes of Mahmudul Hasan, Nazmul Hossain, Mominul Haq and Liton Das, all of whom racked up toiling half-centuries. Mahmudul and Nazmul expressed confidence in Bangladesh’s best stand of 104 for the second wicket against New Zealand. Mominul and Mushfiqur Rahim added 19 runs in the first over before Mominul and Liton added 158 runs to weaken the attack further. Tourists finished with his 458 people.
New Zealand had not bowled more than 176 overs in an innings since 2009/10 when Pakistan played 193.2 overs in Napier jerseys. All four seamers lasted at least 35 overs, and Southee and Jamison never sent more downs in a Test innings. Ravindra, who was picked ahead of Ajaz Patel who had just completed a 10-fer match in Mumbai, bowled just 28 overs with left-arm spin. It would be hard to imagine England dropping Jim Laker or India dropping Anil Kumble. Patel’s absence was inexplicable, especially on a pitch that curves historically well and where New Zealand lost his first five wickets to spin.
New Zealand were trailing by 130 points, but two players had a six-point lead when the collapse began. Although Young had the most resistance, he was the first to fall as Evadat fell into disarray, dropping 33 points out of eight. Five of the last seven batsmen failed to score, but no Bangladeshi seamer had ever taken more than 13 wickets in a Test. The total of 169 was New Zealand’s lowest record against these opponents, surpassing the 171 at Chittagong in 2008/09. “I don’t think it was for lack of trying,” Latham said. “We just weren’t where we were supposed to be or where we were.”
Frustration and fatigue remained for New Zealand, but courage and determination led Bangladesh to new heights. Each of the last 32 away games against New Zealand have ended in defeat in all formats, making it a record consecutive defeat for one team against another. Now they were trying to make sense of everything. “I wasn’t thinking about the consequences,” Mominul said. “I mean, if you hear me talking about winning here, people will call me pagol [crazy].”
Player of this match: Ebadat Hossein.
Second Test at Christchurch, January 9-11, 2022: New Zealand won by an innings and 117 runs
New Zealand 12 points. Throwing:Bangladesh. Debut:Mohammad Naim.
Luther Los Putoa Lot Taylor’s unexpected final act in his New Zealand record-tying 112 Test career was to record three harmless off-breaks. The third run clinched the series victory. Latham, who as stand-in captain bowed to crowd pressure and handed Taylor his first Test bowl since the 2013-14 season, held off No. 11 Ebadat Hossain, the batsman who had not scored in his last 10 Test innings. It was Latham’s sixth catch of the match, adding to his ground record of 252 on a pitch so green it could be mistaken for an outfield.
Latham’s credit was not only for his determination in the goal area, but also for his judgment. He was assigned LBW twice against Ebadat in the 9th over, but managed to check both Wayne Knights decisions. In his sixth Test charge, he reached 50 for the first time as captain, scoring most of his runs at backward points or via midwicket, with fellow opener Young scoring 7 points (1 drop) for both. The score reached 148 points. The result of the catch was his 3, followed by his 4 throw), and immediately after that he had a 5 throw (when a runout attempt hit the far fence). After Young left with 54 points, Latham added 215 points with Conway, effortlessly wrapping up a double-century series before running out on the second morning. It looked like he was about to make a mistake.
With 363 wins and 2 losses, Taylor earned an honor guard. His number 28 showed typical offside play, including cover drives, square cuts and off-drives that reached the ropes. His 252 at Latham was his 12th century in Tests, and with over nine hours of mastery he hit 373 balls. Blundell’s undefeated 57 points gave him a score of 521-6, making him 4-0.
With heavy rain expected on the fourth and fifth days, Bangladesh had hopes of a draw, but their optimism was misplaced. Southey and Boult did almost scientific research to weave a double helix around the top order, and in no time he was 27-5. Mohammad Naim was an odd selection as he had not played a red-ball match for almost two years, despite averaging a top-class average of 16, but he achieved a five-ball duck on his debut. The only respite in Bangladesh’s disastrous first innings of 126 was the knock of Yasir Ali and Nurul Hasan, who added 60 runs for the sixth wicket. Boult, bowling with Mehedi Hasan, became the fourth New Zealander to reach 300 Test wickets after Richard Hadley, Daniel Vettori and Southee. Jamison’s verbal abuse when dismissing Yasir for a whopping 55 points earned him his third demerit in 13 months (a further offense in the next 11 months would mean a suspension). The morning after a nightmarish day, Bangladesh was asked to do the same.
The New Zealand sailors bowled just 41 overs on the second day and felt refreshed after a night’s sleep, but in the morning they found their job much more difficult . All Bangladesh’s top four players were in contention for a spot, but it was Liton Das who saved them from humiliation with a free 102 off 114 balls. Despite this, they failed in the 10th over and the match was postponed to the fourth day. When the last pair reached the crease, the ball was bowled to Taylor, who took two Test wickets to his credit. Ebadat was encouraged by the first innings of his three-year Test career – leading at slip – and lifted it from high wicket to midwicket. Taylor savored the moment, and after the procedure, his three children joined him in the middle, picking up bat and ball and happily reenacting their father’s important contribution.
Player of the Match: TWM Latham.
Series Player: DP Conway.
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