Phillips leads New Zealand fightback against Bangladesh on day 3 of 2nd Test

Glenn Phillips showed how to bat on this tricky, tacky Mirpur wicket by top-scoring for New Zealand and among both teams in the match with 87 as day 3 of the 2nd Test against Bangladesh at Mirpur came to a close.

Bangladesh were on 38-2 in their 2nd innings and lead the Kiwis by 30 runs with Zakir Hasan (16*) and Mominul Haque (0*) at the crease.

Only a session and a bit was possible due to a combination of overnight rain and bad light but still seven wickets fell as the Test moved along nicely with two days still left.

The visitors will perhaps be the happier of the two sides as they managed to eke out an eight-run lead in the first innings and now have two of Bangladesh's in-form batters - Mahmudul Hasan Joy (2) and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (15) - back in the hut. 

With 18 wickets still left, and the weather set to get better in the remaining days, this Test could still go either way.

Nayeem gets just the four overs

Ahead of the 2nd Test, off-spinner Nayeem Hasan picked up an injury to his bowling hand in training, just one day before the match. 

There were doubts about whether he would be able to participate in the match.

But then, on the day of the game, Nayeem made it to the starting XI.

However, Bangladesh Test captain Shanto veered on the side of caution with him as he was brought only on the 3rd day. 

The top wicket-taker in the recently concluded National Cricket League (NCL) though brought his captain instant rewards as he got the wicket of Daryl Mitchell (18), who was building a crucial partnership of 49 with Phillips.

It took a magnificent effort from Mehidy Hasan Miraz to take a running, diving catch near the boundary.

Nayeem would also go on to take the wicket of Mitchell Santner (1) a few overs later to have the Black Caps reeling at 97-7.

He would get just the four overs to bowl whereas the other primary spinners Taijul Islam bowled 16.1 overs and Miraz bowled 11 overs.

Phillips involved in everything good about New Zealand

In the 1st Test, Phillips was crucial for the Kiwis as he took a five-wicket haul in the first innings and also chipped in with vital runs. 

And that trend continued in the 2nd Test as he took three wickets for just 31 runs in the first innings and then did the damage with the bat.

What was most impressive about Phillips was how he constantly tried to attack the bowlers and put them under pressure.

He dominated the partnership with Mitchell, scoring 40 runs in it and that rubbed off on the tailenders.

The biggest partnership in the New Zealand innings would come between him and Kyle Jamieson, a 55-run partnership from 53 balls where Phillips scored 34 and Jamieson scored 20.

There would be another vital 28-run partnership after Jamieson's dismissal with captain Tim Southee that helped New Zealand take a small lead.