Ebadot rips through NZ as Bangladesh to win by 8 wickets
Bangladesh, a team at the lowest of ebbs only last month when they were swept at home by Pakistan, have taken down the world champions, the mighty New Zealand, by eight wickets in the first Test in Mount Maunganui.
In the scale of unlikely results in Test cricket, this is right up there. It’s the first time Bangladesh have beaten New Zealand in Tests, ending the hosts’ 17-match unbeaten home record. This is also the first time Bangladesh have beaten New Zealand in any format in New Zealand. It’s Bangladesh’s sixth overseas Test win – anywhere. But more than the stats, trivia and milestones, what stood out was how Bangladesh dominated New Zealand almost all the way through the Test.
Little known Ebadot Hossain, the fast bowler who started this game with the poorest average for a minimum of ten Test wickets, was the unlikely hero for Bangladesh. On the fifth morning, he took two wickets to take his innings figures to 6 for 46, the first six-for by a Bangladesh fast bowler in more than eight years and the best by a Bangladesh quick overseas.
Taskin Ahmed took three wickets while Mehidy Hasan Miraz picked up the last wicket to fall. The home side, which lost their last five wickets for 15 runs, lasted only 56 minutes on the fifth morning, folding for a lead of only 39.
Bangladesh took their time reaching the 40-run target, in 16.5 overs, during an extended first session. Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto were dismissed caught behind, with Ross Taylor taking a superb catch off Shanto’s outside edge. Fittingly, Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh’s highest run-getter in Tests and their most experienced cricketer, scored the winning runs, with captain Mominul Haque at the other end.
Within ten minutes of the start of play on the day, Bangladesh were up and running. Ebadot got one to move ever so slightly into Taylor, who inside-edged the ball on to his leg stump. The fielders were ecstatic as they swarmed Ebadot, who bowed down in a sajda before his usual salute to celebrate his five-for.
In his next over, Ebadot got Kyle Jamieson to play uppishly towards midwicket, where big Shoriful Islam dived to his right to complete a sharp catch. Taskin then joined the party. He had Rachin Ravindra caught behind for 16, before yorking Tim Southee to take his third, and Bangladesh’s ninth wicket.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, brought on to take out the tail-enders, removed Trent Boult when substitute Taijul Islam latched on at deep mid-wicket.
Yesterday, Will Young and Taylor had added 73 runs for the third wicket as New Zealand had got down to the business of wiping out the 130-run deficit. But shortly after Young reached his second fifty in the game, he fell to Ebadot’s good-length delivery, which opened up one end for Bangladesh. Ebadot struck again a ball later when he clean bowled Henry Nicholls, and in the next over, had Tom Blundell out lbw. New Zealand lost three wickets for no runs, in the space of seven Ebadot deliveries, and that was where the match was decided for Bangladesh.
