Tigers smell historic Test victory against NZ after late Ebadot show

Ebadot Hossain, in the evening session, missed a straightforward run-out opportunity but one could hardly imagine what was coming next. The pacer made up for the error by picking up not one, not two, but three quick wickets and slit the Test match wide open which was heading towards a draw. At stumps on day four, New Zealand were just 17 runs ahead with Bangladesh requiring just one wicket to get into the tail. 

The hosts finished the day at 147 for five after conceding a 130-run lead.

Ebadot, in that potential match-turning spell, conceded just 16 runs in eight overs and picked up three New Zealand batters - Will Young, Henry Nicholls and Tom Blundell. That spell was the reason why Bangladesh were still on top in spite of at least four chances being grassed.

The Mount Maunganui Test has been one of those rare away matches where there was hardly any moment when it felt like Bangladesh would lose.

Photo: ICC

Earlier, the visitors added 57 runs to their overnight total before losing the remaining four wickets in the second half of the morning session. They took a sizeable lead after bundling the hosts out for 328 in the first innings. It was a marathon effort from the Black Caps bowlers as they sent down as many as 176.2 overs. It was the first time Bangladesh took a lead after electing to field first on winning the toss. 

New Zealand were just four overs away from the second new ball when they started proceedings on day four. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, unbeaten overnight on 20, was given out not once but twice inside those four overs by the on-field umpire but DRS saved the all-rounder on both occasions.

Trent Boult and Tim Southee took the third new ball for the hosts and it swung more prodigiously than the previous ones. But New Zealand bowlers couldn't trouble Miraz and Yasir Ali in the first hour. Both of them drove well down the ground and played well square of the wicket. Miraz played the role of the aggressor in the partnership. His square drive on the off-side off the back foot against Boult was probably the best shot of the morning session. Couple of overs earlier, he got the lead past 100 with a tickle down the leg-side for a boundary off Boult.

Southee was a bit wayward with the third new ball as well, forcing Tom Latham to replace him with Kyle Jamieson after three overs. Change of ends worked for Southee as he came back a few overs later to replace Boult and immediately got his reward. Miraz threw his bat at a short and wide ball, only succeeding in nicking the ball to the keeper. He played an important knock of 47. His partnership with Yasir yielded 75 runs. 

Jamieson too picked up his first wicket shortly after that as Yasir was caught behind down the leg-side for 26. 

Bangladesh lost the remaining two wickets quickly after that and were all-out for 458. Boult finished with a four-wicket haul for the Black Caps. Mominul Haque, the captain, led from the front with a patient 88. There were significant contributions from Liton Das, Mahmudul Hasan Joy as well as Miraz late on day three and early on day four. 

Taskin Ahmed struck in the fifth over after lunch as he cleaned up New Zealand captain Latham. The southpaw could not register a big score in the first innings as well and it was a rare double-innings failure for him.

Bangladesh bowlers kept things tight as the pitch offered some variable bounce. Shoriful Islam troubled Devon Conway multiple times. The left-hander did not look as comfortable as the first innings. Ebadot Hossain too bowled with pace and tested Will Young but the opener grounded the first hour of the afternoon session out without any damage.. 

Ebadot got his reward as he removed the centurion of the first innings Conway for just 13. It was the third time an on-field decision was overturned in favour of the tourists by the DRS on day four although they wasted two early in the afternoon session.

At the stroke of tea, Young was dropped on 31 by Liton off Miraz. New Zealand went into tea at 68 for two. 

Miraz created one more genuine opportunity in the third session, only to be dropped by Shadman Islam. This time the batter was Ross Taylor who went for a wild slog-sweep. Miraz bowled exceptionally well without any luck, troubling the batters every now and then and creating chances.

Young racked up yet another hard-fought fifty off 137 balls, his second in this match. 

Before drinks in the third session, Shoriful bowled a good little spell where he got the ball to reverse a bit and challenged the outside edge, especially of Ross Taylor. 

Right after New Zealand overcame the deficit, Ebadot Hossain cleaned up Young for 69. He went for a rare extravagant shot which led to his undoing. 

One brought not two, but three for the pacer as he went through the defences of the in-form Henry Nicholls. There was no stopping Ebadot as he got his tails up and got the better of Blundell as well. New Zealand, from 136 for two, became 136 for five all of a sudden. 

Taylor and Rachin Ravindra survived the final thirty minutes before the close of play. Taylor was unbeaten on a chancy 37 and Ravindra on six.