Hamilton: Centuries to Tom Latham (161, 248b, 17×4, 3×6) and Jeet Raval (132m 220b, 19×4, 1×6), and the best opening partnership for New Zealand in nearly half-a-century left Bangladesh on the ropes on day two of the first Test Friday.
Kane Williamson, unbeaten on 93 (off 132 balls), added to the run-fest at Hamilton’s Seddon Park in a century stand for the fourth wicket with Henry Nicholls (53 off 81 balls).
At stumps, New Zealand were 451 for four, leading by 217 with six wickets in hand.
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 before he scored at the start of the innings.
Ironically, it was Soumya Sarkar — who spilled the simple catch at second slip — who eventually claimed his wicket.
Raval, frustrated by holding the New Zealand record for the most fifties (eight) without a century, finally got that monkey off his back in his 17th Test.
It took a sly switch from Mahmudullah Riyad to make the elusive breakthrough.
The Bangladesh skipper brought himself on for one over only and on his fifth delivery, Raval skied an attempted slog-sweep to Khaled Ahmed at mid-wicket.
It was another part-time bowler Soumya who picked up the two wickets of Latham and Ross Taylor.
Latham, who edged a wide delivery to second slip on the second ball he faced, put that stroke away for 246 deliveries before he poked at a wide ball from Soumya and a diving Mohammad Mithun completed the dismissal — also at second slip.
Taylor did not bother questioning his dismissal when a Soumya inswinger rapped on the front pad plumb in line with the stumps.
Against the run of play, Mehidy claimed the late wicket of Nicholls with a ball that came back and crashed into the stumps.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 234 all out (Tamim Iqbal 128 off 128 balls, Neil Wagner 16.2-47-5)
New Zealand 451-4 (161 off 248 balls, Soumya 19-57-2)
AFP