NZ vs BD, 2nd Test, Day 2, Session 2: NZ declare at 521/6, Latham stars with 252

New Zealand, after a tough first session, scored quickly in the second session. Tom Blundell scored bulk of the 98 runs they scored in the first hour of the afternoon session. His skipper Latham brought up the best score at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. 

Earlier, Devon Conway, unbeaten on 99 overnight, clipped one off his pads in the first ball of the day itself and brought up yet another hundred. Bangladesh bowlers were much more disciplined on the second morning than they were on day one, asking more questions to the batters. 

Ebadot Hossain bowled with aggression and hit Conway's thigh pad quite a few times, beating him for pace. It took a brilliant bit of fielding to remove the left hander as his captain Tom Latham opted for a  non-existent quick single. Mehidy Hasan Miraz ran in from cover and hit the one stump he had to aim at. Conway was dismissed for a well-made 109. His partnership with Latham yielded 215 runs.

Ross Taylor, into his last Test match, walked out at number four and was welcomed with a guard of honour by Bangladesh. The veteran got off the mark with a signature punch through the covers off Ebadot. 

Latham, not out overnight on 186, played a beautiful cover drive off Taskin to reach his second double hundred, his first as captain. Interestingly, Latham has been involved in two run-outs so far in Tests. And on both occasions, he scored double centuries. 

Taylor played his shots during his entertaining 39-ball stay which was ended by Ebadot. The right-hander scored 28 before getting out caught at short square leg in the 16th over of the day. 

Latham could've been dismissed right after Taylor got out but Taskin Ahmed could not take a return catch although it was a difficult one. 

Henry Nicholls, the New Zealand number five, was once again dismissed for a duck as Ebadot got him out caught behind. Nicholls was initially not given out on the field but Bangladesh made the best use of the DRS to overturn the decision. 

Shoriful picked up his second wicket of the match at the dying moments of the first session. This time the batter was Daryl Mitchell who nicked the ball to the keeper. New Zealand managed to score not more than 74 runs in the first session but more importantly they lost four wickets. Latham was unbeaten on 215 at lunch.

Latham was quiet for the most part on day two but upped the ante with two sixes and a four off Mominul Haque, the part-timer, and brought up his 250 in style. Latham perished while attempting to get some more quick runs and his opposite number Mominul took his wicket. Latham scored 252 with the help of 34 fours and two sixes. His innings was the highest individual score at this venue. 

Tom Blundell has not been in form for some time now but he made a good fist of things at number seven. He played the cut shot to good effect as Bangladesh went short at him. He brought up a half century in quick time - off just 56 balls. 

New Zealand declared at 521 for six. Blundell was instrumental in getting quick runs and increasing the run-rate to over four-an-over.