Home Cricket News Taijul Islam star Kane Williamson on an even second day in Sylhet

Taijul Islam star Kane Williamson on an even second day in Sylhet

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Taijul Islam star Kane Williamson on an even second day in Sylhet


New Zealand 266 for 8 (Williamson 104, Phillips 42, Taijul 4-89) trail Bangladesh 310 (Joy 86, Philips 4-53, Jamieson 2-52) by 44 runs

Taijul Islam kept Bangladesh ahead after the second day’s play in Sylhet, even as Kane Williamson tied with Don Bradman and Virat Kohli on 29 Test centuries. The left-arm spinner needed four wickets to inspire a strong response from the hosts, who had a 44-run lead at stumps. New Zealand scored 266 for 8 when play was abandoned early due to poor lighting for the second day in a row.

Williamson kept New Zealand’s innings going with a patient 104 off 205 balls with 11 fours. He continued to keep one end in the middle order, but occasional wickets at the other end restricted his partnerships to just 54, 66 and 78 runs for the third, fourth and sixth wickets respectively. Bangladesh even scored twice late in the day, when Taijul removed Williamson and Ish Sodhi with the second new ball. He had also given Bangladesh their first breakthrough early in the first session.

But earlier, they had lost their remaining wicket on the first ball of the day when Tim Southee had Shoriful Islam lbw. In response, New Zealand got off to a cautious start before their openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway succumbed to the bowling. Latham, usually a strong scorer against Bangladesh, overcame a sweep off Taijul, which was easily caught by Nayeem Hasan. Conway was then caught at a silly point by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, where debutant Shahadat Hossain made a smart catch by diving to the right of him.

New Zealand regrouped through Williamson and Henry Nicholls adding 54 for the third wicket. Nicholls remained cautious during his 19-run stay off 42 balls, before edging Shoriful. It was the first time in 13 years that Bangladesh took New Zealand’s first three wickets for less than a hundred runs.

However, in Shoriful’s next over, Bangladesh missed a dismissal when Daryl Mitchell edged the ball, but there was no convincing appeal from Bangladesh. The Snickometer later confirmed the nickname. It cost Bangladesh considerably given the state of the match as Mitchell and Williamson added 66 for the fourth wicket. But Taijul, returning for his second spell, got Mitchell, who scored 41 with three fours and a six, stumped off the first ball to give Bangladesh a much-needed breakthrough at that stage.

Williamson then had a couple of lives either side of the tea break. First, Taijul missed a simple chance at mid-wicket when Williamson pulled Nayeem when he was on 63. When he was on 70, Williamson missed a shot from Nayeem, but Shoriful missed another simple chance at deep backward square leg. Nayeem was taken aback, but Tom Blundell’s wicket between the two catches probably eased the pain.

Against the run of play, Mominul Haque removed Glenn Phillips just when he looked dangerous. He made 42 off 62 balls with five fours and a six, before beating the left-arm spinner to slip where Najmul Hossain Shanto took a good low catch.

Williamson reached his century five overs before the second new ball arrived; but as soon as they took him away, Taijul eliminated him with his best ball of the day. Williamson advanced, but the new ball slipped between his bat and his pad. Sodhi was Taijul’s fourth wicket of the day, captured neatly at short leg by Shahadat.

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