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the first person from New Zealand to score hundreds in
four straight Test matches. Match Virat Kohli and Sir Don Bradman with 29
centuries. Maybe his nation’s best batter, Kane Williamson is a contemporary
titan. Williamson is still his team’s batting anchor going into his thirteenth
year of international cricket, and his matchups with the top bowler on the
other side frequently determine the outcome of the match.
Taijul Islam is Bangladesh’s top bowler in Sylhet,
both on paper and in the field, as Shakib is recovering from a finger injury
that will prevent him from playing in the Test series. On day two, he bowled
like a seasoned pro, taking his 12th four-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Taijul has always been Shakib’s second fiddle. Of
course. However, Taijul has been Bangladesh’s workhorse and largest danger to
take wickets whenever Shakib has been out of the game or unable to bowl, which
has happened frequently in Test matches. On Wednesday, with two wickets
remaining, New Zealand concluded the first innings 44 runs behind Bangladesh’s
total, demonstrating the might of Taijul and his spin colleagues.
After Bangladesh had taken the second new ball, it was
the fifth ball. Throwing it up, Taijul pulled Williamson into the forward
press. But the trajectory undid Williamson, who had been beaten for line, as
the ball slipped between his bat and pad and continued along that path after
pitching. As the ball knocked Williamson off bail, he stared back in shock.
Though Taijul had discovered that minor opening, he had appeared to have it
covered. All day he had been trying to persuade Williamson to move forward and
clear that space for him, or at the very least to strike his front pad below
the flap and beat his inside edge. Taijul’s face lit up with a broad smile as
it eventually worked.
Williamson later said New Zealand had faced tough
questions from the Bangladesh spinners. “They are very familiar with these
conditions. They are very accurate. They all ask different questions,” he
said. “They were all outstanding today. They asked us a lot of questions.
They taught a lot of lessons as well to play in this part of this world.”
Bangladesh’s spin bowling coach Rangana Herath
reiterated that Taijul has grown into a bowling leader in Shakib’s absence.
“Taijul is always helping the attack. He is our leading spinner,”
Herath said. “He created a lot of pressure [on New Zealand]. He created a
lot of angles.
“It was a tough day,” Williamson said.
“I thought the batters really tried to apply themselves. Put together some
good partnerships. We have a couple of wickets left. It will be nice to get a
few more, and then we will have our chance to bowl. The surface is showing
signs of deteriorating quite a lot. It looks like a bit of a scrap in the next
few days.”