Mehrab Hossain And Mushfiqur Rahim Fight Back

Mehrab Hossain And Mushfiqur Rahim Fight Back

Mehrab Hossain junior (left) and Mushfiqur Rahim (centre) talk as Kyle Mills (right) takes a break.

©REUTERS/Andrew Biraj (BANGLADESH) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Mehrab Hossain And Mushfiqur Rahim Fight Back

Zunaid Siddique (left) departs after his early dismissal.

©REUTERS/Andrew Biraj (BANGLADESH) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Bangladesh 183-4 (Mehrab Hossain jr. 79no) v New Zealand
Scorecard
1st Test, Chittagong, day one
By Graham Wilson

An unbroken century stand between Mehrab Hossain junior and Mushfiqur Rahim kept Bangladesh fighting and helped them close day one of the opening Test against New Zealand on 183 for four.

Having won the toss, Bangladesh batted with caution throughout the day, Mehrab closing on 79 and Mushfiqur on 59 stretching a national record fifth-wicket stand to 139 by stumps.

Zunaid Siddique fell to the first ball he faced, the seventh of the match when he was trapped in front by Iain O'Brien before Tamim Iqbal (18) and Rajin Saleh (20) used up 90 and 129 balls respectively in a second-wicket partnership that was worth just 34 in 31.2 overs.

Only two boundaries came in the opening session, both to Tamim Iqbal as 20 of the 32 overs bowled were maidens. It could, and perhaps should, have been worse for Bangladesh as Saleh was dropped by wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum early on while Tamim was twice put down by Aaron Redmond.

With Tamim and Saleh out early after lunch, the run rate rose slightly, mainly thanks to an aggressive innings from Mehrab Hossain junior, who hit seven fours. He is unbeaten on 42 at tea alongside Mushfiqur Rahim, who has 19.

Daniel Vettori and O'Brien have picked up two wickets apiece, Vettori having Tamim caught by McCullum and captain Mohammad Ashraful trapped in front for two. O'Brien ended Saleh's stay at the crease when he was bowled.

However, Bangladesh batted throughout the final session of play, Mehrab hitting ten fours, Mushfiqur nine fours and a six as extraordinarily in the modern game, some 94 overs were bowled by the New Zealanders.

Jesse Ryder makes his debut for New Zealand won the One Day International series 2-1 and Bangladesh have handed a debut to batsman Naeem Islam and recalled Rajin Saleh.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Zunaid Siddique, Rajin Saleh, Mohammad Ashraful (captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Mehrab Hossain jr., Naeem Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicket-keeper), Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain

New Zealand: Aaron Redmond, Jamie How, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Brendon McCullum (wicket-keeper), Daniel Flynn, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori (captain), Kyle Mills, Jeetan Patel, Iain O'Brien

© Cricket World 2008