Hostile spells from pacers Neil Wagner and Trent Boult helped New Zealand to take an unassailable lead in the three-match Test series against Bangladesh today.
New Zealand won the second Test match against Bangladesh by an innings and 12 runs. Wagner finished with the figures of five for 45 runs whereas Boult finished with four wickets for 52 runs.
This win by the Kiwis can be considered more impressive considering the fact that rain washed out the first two days of play. Bangladesh resumed the final day needing another 141 runs to make the Kiwis bat again with seven wickets in hand.
Both skipper Kane Williamson and wicket-keeper BJ Watling did not take the field due to their respective injuries. It was not a simple task for the hosts to win the match, let alone do so by the lunch interval.
Watling's place behind the stumps was taken by the uncapped 27-year-old gloveman Peter Bocock. After a brief partnership between Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Mithun, Boult provided the Kiwis with the much-needed breakthrough after which Wagner wreaked havoc on the Bangladesh batsman.
The duo of Wagner and Boult took combined figures of nine wickets for 97 runs and ensured Kiwis take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Bangladesh will now look to play for pride in the final Test match of the series.
Bangladesh takes on New Zealand in the third Test match of the three-match series on Friday, March 15 at Christchurch.
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