Tigers rally after slow start
Saturday, 18 October 2008
Two sensible half centuries by young duo Mehrab Hossain Jr and Mushfiqur Rahim helped hosts, after they plunged to 44-4, recover to 183 for four at close of the first day's play against New Zealand in Chittagong Friday, reports bdnews24.com.
Mehrab along with wicketkeeper Mushfiq put on 139 for the unbroken fifth wicket to rewrite the record for Bangladesh.
The previous best of 126 had come from a partnership of Aminul Islam and Mohammad Ashraful against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2001 where Ashraful hit his maiden hundred.
Left-handed Mehrab, playing his second Test, looked fluent on the spin-friendly pitch and remained unbeaten on 79 while Mushfiq on 59 when the bails were drawn for Day 1 at Birsreshth Shaheed Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong.
Pace duo Kyle Mills and Iain O'Brien kept the hosts down to just three runs off the first 11 overs after O'Brien brought the first breakthrough for New Zealand trapping opener Junaed Siddique lbw for a first-ball duck with scoreboard reading nought for one in 1.1 overs.
Things were looking good for the visitors after Bangladesh, who chose to bat first after winning the toss, collapsed to 44 for four soon after the lunch break from 34 for one at lunch.
But Mehrab and Mushfiq, braving scorching heat, kept their nerves to play real Test to see off the further damage on the opening day as Mehrab smacked his maiden fifty and Mushfiq struck his second half-century in his ninth Test match.
Left-handed Mehrab was more cautious against pacers O'Brien, Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills, but came hard on spin duo Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel having hit the latter for six fours.
The 21-year old middle order batsman smashed 10 boundaries facing 164 balls.
Mushfiq punished Kiwi pacers Mills and O'Brien, slamming boundaries off each thrice. Besides, he sent off-spinner Patel over the rope once and hit two fours.
The 20-year old wicketkeeper, in all, hammered nine fours and one six in a 145-ball knock.
It was disappointing for New Zealand fielders, who dropped Tamim Iqbal twice and Rajin Saleh once, but it did not cost them heavily.
Aaron Redmond dropped Tamim on nought and again on eight before the left-handed opener was caught behind by keeper Brendon McCullum off Vettori for a patient 18 off 90 balls.
Rajin Saleh soon followed him, played on by O'Brien. He scored a painstaking 20 off 129 deliveries and while skipper Ashraful scored a 35-ball two.
O'Brien and Vettori took two wickets each for 25 and 59 respectively.
Mehrab along with wicketkeeper Mushfiq put on 139 for the unbroken fifth wicket to rewrite the record for Bangladesh.
The previous best of 126 had come from a partnership of Aminul Islam and Mohammad Ashraful against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2001 where Ashraful hit his maiden hundred.
Left-handed Mehrab, playing his second Test, looked fluent on the spin-friendly pitch and remained unbeaten on 79 while Mushfiq on 59 when the bails were drawn for Day 1 at Birsreshth Shaheed Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong.
Pace duo Kyle Mills and Iain O'Brien kept the hosts down to just three runs off the first 11 overs after O'Brien brought the first breakthrough for New Zealand trapping opener Junaed Siddique lbw for a first-ball duck with scoreboard reading nought for one in 1.1 overs.
Things were looking good for the visitors after Bangladesh, who chose to bat first after winning the toss, collapsed to 44 for four soon after the lunch break from 34 for one at lunch.
But Mehrab and Mushfiq, braving scorching heat, kept their nerves to play real Test to see off the further damage on the opening day as Mehrab smacked his maiden fifty and Mushfiq struck his second half-century in his ninth Test match.
Left-handed Mehrab was more cautious against pacers O'Brien, Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills, but came hard on spin duo Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel having hit the latter for six fours.
The 21-year old middle order batsman smashed 10 boundaries facing 164 balls.
Mushfiq punished Kiwi pacers Mills and O'Brien, slamming boundaries off each thrice. Besides, he sent off-spinner Patel over the rope once and hit two fours.
The 20-year old wicketkeeper, in all, hammered nine fours and one six in a 145-ball knock.
It was disappointing for New Zealand fielders, who dropped Tamim Iqbal twice and Rajin Saleh once, but it did not cost them heavily.
Aaron Redmond dropped Tamim on nought and again on eight before the left-handed opener was caught behind by keeper Brendon McCullum off Vettori for a patient 18 off 90 balls.
Rajin Saleh soon followed him, played on by O'Brien. He scored a painstaking 20 off 129 deliveries and while skipper Ashraful scored a 35-ball two.
O'Brien and Vettori took two wickets each for 25 and 59 respectively.