Centuries to Tom Latham and Jeet Raval, and New Zealand’s best opening partnership in nearly 50 years left Bangladesh on the ropes on the second day of the first Test yesterday.
Kane Williamson, unbeaten on 93, added to the run-fest at Hamilton’s Seddon Park in a century stand for the fourth wicket with Henry Nicholls. At stumps, New Zealand were 451-4, leading by 217 with six wickets in hand.
Latham made 161, Raval notched his maiden century with 132, while Nicholls departed two overs before stumps for 53.
Raval, who went into the Test frustrated at holding the New Zealand record for the most fifties (8) without a century, was relieved to get the monkey off his back in his 17th Test.
“It’s very nice to get over the line and get the hundred, but more importantly it’s nice to get the big partnership,” the Test specialist opener said.
With the assistance of a flat track, Latham and Raval put on 254 for the first wicket, the third-highest opening partnership by a New Zealand pair and their best since the record 387 set by Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis against the West Indies 47 years ago.
Latham punished Bangladesh for dropping him at the start of the innings before he had scored a run.
He occupied the crease for more than six hours, scoring freely around the ground and reaching the boundary with 17 fours, as well as hitting Mehidy Hasan over the midwicket fence three times.
Fittingly, it was Soumya Sarkar — who spilled the simple catch Latham gave at second slip before scoring — who eventually claimed his wicket.
However, by then, Latham had passed 150 for the fourth time in his career and New Zealand were 333-2.
Raval held his nerve after passing his previous best — 88 on the same ground against South Africa two years ago — and raised his bat when he cracked back-to-back fours off Ebadat Hossain to move from 93 to 101.
It took a sly switch from Mahmudullah to make the elusive breakthrough.
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