Latham, Conway dominate Bangladesh bowlers on green wicket

Bangladesh did everything right before the start of play - winning the toss and fielding first on a green top. They were presented with a helpful pitch and the overhead conditions were also in their favour. But it was hard work for the tourists as they could not do enough so far in the second Test to back up the excellent performance in the first match at the Bay Oval. 

After a barren morning session, Shoriful Islam picked up Will Young in the second session but much to Bangladesh's disappointment, it remained their only wicket in the day. Led from the front by Tom Latham who scored a daddy hundred, the hosts reached 349 for one at the end of day one at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch and got themselves in a position of authority and dominance.  

The start from Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful in the first thirty minutes on a track that had pace, bounce and carry was slightly disappointing. Ebadot Hossain came into the attack as the first-change bowler and got Latham leg-before not once, but twice, only to be saved by the DRS. 

Latham was initially not at his best but got through the first 40 minutes without any damage. He got going with two boundaries off half volleys from Ebadot Hossain in the 11th over, the second boundary possibly being one of the best shots of the day. Ebadot, the star of the previous match, was a touch expensive. 

Bangladesh kept searching for the wickets and in the process leaked runs and mostly it was Ebadot who was taken to the cleaners although he beat the batters multiple times but without any luck.

Latham raced to his first Test fifty as captain off just 65 balls with the help of nine boundaries. He, at the end of the first session, was unbeaten on 66 and giving him company was Young on 26. New Zealand went into lunch at 92 for no loss.

In the first over of post lunch, Young was dropped at second slip by Liton Das on 26 and seven runs came off that delivery because of an overthrow. 

The New Zealand skipper started the second session with two boundaries off Taskin. Ebadot continued to be expensive in the afternoon session as well. The fast bowler induced the outside edge of Will Young's bat in the 34th over but the ball ran away for four. In the next over, Young brought up his third fifty in the series with a four off Mehidy Hasan Miraz. 

Bangladesh finally got their first breakthrough before the drinks break of the second session. Young, after his fifty, was dismissed by Shoriful Islam. He almost had Latham too on 94 as the ball took off from short of length and looped up after hitting the shoulder of the bat. Luckily for Latham, the ball fell in no man's land.

Larham's second fifty came off 68 balls and he racked up his 12th Test hundred off 133 deliveries, his fastest in terms of balls faced. At tea, he was unbeaten on 118. He was accompanied by Conway who was not out on 26. The scoring rate increased in the afternoon session. The home side scored 110 runs for the loss of one wicket in that session. 

Latham struck a boundary off Ebadot to bring up 150 after the tea break. Five overs later in the evening session, Conway reached his third Test fifty. 

Bangladesh took the second new ball as late as in the 85th over. But the red new cherry was welcomed by Conway with a brilliant punch through the covers in just the fourth delivery. 

Conway needed two runs off the last over of the day to complete his century but remained unbeaten on 99. Latham on the other end was just 14 away from his second double hundred. The evening session yielded 147 runs.

Shoriful took the only wicket that fell on day one and was the only bowler whose economy rate was less than three. Ebadot Hossain gave away more than 100 runs, 114 to be exact, at an economy rate of 5.42.