Glenn Phillips hit an aggressive 87 to keep New Zealand in the game on day three of a finely poised rain-hit second and final test against Bangladesh on Friday.
Allrounder Phillips lifted New Zealand from a precarious 55-5 at the start of day to 180 all out in response to Bangladesh's first innings total of 172 in Dhaka.
Bangladesh wiped out the eight-run deficit to reach 38-2 when bad light forced early stumps, with 37 overs remaining on the day at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
Dutch-Bangla Bank Test Series 2023
— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) December 8, 2023
Bangladesh 🆚 New Zealand | 2nd Test | Day 03
Moments of the Bangladesh Bowling 🇧🇩 ✨#BCB | #Cricket | #BANvNZ pic.twitter.com/dlk91lC5pQ
Opener Zakir Hasan was batting on 16 with Mominul Haque on nought.
Spinner Ajaz Patel removed Mahmudul Hasan Joy for two in the first over and skipper Tim Southee took down his Bangladesh counterpart Najmul Hasan Shanto for 15.
Play resumed Friday after four sessions – one in the morning – were washed out because of rain with New Zealand trailing Bangladesh by 117 runs.
Phillips came to the rescue with nine fours and four sixes in his defiant 72-ball knock.
He put on a 55-run eighth-wicket stand with Kyle Jamieson (20) and stood strong till his departure.
Bad lights brings an end to Day 3 🌅
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 8, 2023
Bangladesh will resume tomorrow morning with a lead of 30. Catch up on also scores | https://t.co/c1PA4xvpot 📲#BANvNZ #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/CLAov5EdHr
Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam picked up three wickets each for Bangladesh. Nayeem Hasan and Shoriful Islam claimed two wickets apiece.
Phillips and fellow overnight batsman Daryl Mitchell took an aggressive approach and were rewarded with a stand of 49 for the sixth wicket, before Bangladesh had their first success of the day.
Mehidy took a superb catch, running to his left from mid-on and diving at full length to dismiss Mitchell for 18 off Nayeem.
Nayeem removed Mitchell Santner in his next over but Jamieson helped claw back the momentum towards New Zealand before his dismissal by Shoriful.
Shoriful then forced Phillips to edge a catch behind the stumps before Taijul wrapped up the New Zealand innings with the wicket of Southee (14).
Fifteen wickets fell on the first day but no ball was bowled on the second day after constant rain in the national capital.
The hosts, chasing a first-ever series win over the Black Caps, lead the two-test series 1-0 after a 150-run victory in Sylhet.
BANGLADESH: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shahadat Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nurul Hasan (wk), Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam
NEW ZEALAND: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee (capt), Ajaz Patel