SYLHET: Spinner Glenn Phillips returned figures of 4-53 as New Zealand restricted Bangladesh to 310-9 before bad light forced an early stumps on the opening day of the first Test in Sylhet on Tuesday.

Phillips, chosen ahead of Rachin Ravindra, picked the crucial wickets after opening batsman Mahmudul Ha­­s­an hit 86 off 166 balls to give Bangladesh a platform for a strong total.

The hosts, who opted to bat first after winning the toss, dominated New Zealand in patches but lost wickets in important phases, with Kiwi bowlers Ajaz Patel (2-76) and Kyle Jamieson (2-52) celebrating success.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and one of his predecessors, Mominul Haque, each made 37 runs for Bangladesh.

They put up 53 runs and 88 runs with Mahmudul for the second and third wicket pairs respectively, before their untimely dismissals.

Patel bowled opener Zakir Hasan for 12 to give New Zealand their first breakthrough, before Phillips made Najmul his maiden Test wicket in the morning session.

Kane Williamson ran back from mid-on to complete the catch.

Ish Sodhi and Phillips struck in successive overs just before the tea break to halt Bangladesh’s progress further.

Daryl Mitchell took a low catch at slip as Sodhi dismissed Mahmudul, ending his dogged innings.

Mahmudul hit 11 boundaries in his fourth Test half-century.

His dismissal came within five balls of Phillips forcing Mominul to give a catch to wicket-keeper Tom Blundell.

Experienced Mushfiqur Rahim fell to Patel for 12 as Williamson took his second catch of the day.

Jamieson, the only New Zealand pacer with some success, had Mehidy Hasan caught by Mitchell for 20.

Wicket-keeper/batsman Nurul Hasan struck a few quick boundaries before Phillips swung momentum further New Zealand’s way.

The off-spinner claimed the wicket of debutant Shahadat Hossain, who made 24 before hoisting a catch to Henry Nicholls at short midwicket.

Phillips ended Nurul’s innings at 29 six overs later.

Taijul Islam, eight not out, and Shoriful Islam, 13 not out, survived the day after Jamieson made Bangladesh nine down with the wicket of Nayeem Hasan, the pacer’s second of the day.

The two-match series marks the beginning of a new cycle for the World Test Championship for both teams.

SCOREBOARD

BANGLADESH (1st Innings):

Mahmudul Hasan c Mitchell b Sodhi 86

Zakir Hasan b Patel 12

Najmul Hossain c Williamson b Phillips 37

Mominul Haque c Blundell b Phillips 37

Mushfiqur Rahim c Williamson b Patel 12

Shahadat Hossain c Nicholls b Phillips 24

Mehidy Hasan Miraz c Mitchell b Jamieson 20

Nurul Hasan c Blundell b Phillips 29

Nayeem Hasan c Latham b Jamieson 16

Taijul Islam not out 8

Shoriful Islam 13

EXTRAS (B-12, LB-3, W-1) 16

TOTAL (for nine wickets; 85 overs) 310

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-39 (Zakir), 2-92 (Najmul), 3-180 (Mominul), 4-184 (Mahmudul), 5-210 (Mushfiqur), 6-233 (Mehidy), 7-261 (Shahadat), 8-276 (Nurul), 9-290 (Nayeem)

BOWLING: Southee 14-2-43-0 (1w); Jamieson 17-5-52-2; Patel 24-1-76-2; Sodhi 14-1-71-1; Philips 16-1-53-4

NEW ZEALAND: D. Conway, T. Latham, K. Williamson, H. Nicholls, D. Mitchell, T. Blundell, G. Philips, K. Jamieson, T. Southee (captain), I. Sodhi, A. Patel.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2023