New Zealand v Bangladesh

2nd Test
Basin Reserve, Wellington
Friday, 8 March; 11:00am local, 10:00pm GMT (-1 day)

Bangladesh’s problems have been laid bare after the Hamilton defeat. They have the potential, but not the intent. Their batsmen have all the shots, but play too many of them. Too often, they try to hit their way out.

It gave them 429 second-innings runs, but on a surface that had lost a lot of its sting. When it is fresh and full of venom, as it was in the first innings, it’s hard to expect more than the 234 they managed after being asked to bat.

Their batsmen at least put on a show: Bangladesh had three centurions in Hamilton and Tamim Iqbal scored 200 runs in the Test. But what of the bowling?

Between them, their three pacers picked up one wicket for 359 runs despite getting a go at New Zealand on the first day, when conditions are as ripe as they get. By contrast, New Zealand’s pacers picked up all 20 wickets. Courtney Walsh has urged patience with Bangladesh’s fast bowlers, but with both remaining Tests now must-win, they'll have to make amends quickly.

Bangladesh’s main strength is spin. Spinners pull the bulk of the weight irrespective of conditions. But Mehidy Hasan, their premier spinner, returned the worst figures for a Bangladesh bowler in a Test innings.

They couldn’t keep it together in the field either, dropping Tom Latham before he had made a run, Kane Williamson on 81 and Colin de Grandhomme on 43. It cost Bangladesh 313 runs. That’s about 44% of the runs New Zealand wound up making.

New Zealand are unstoppable. They are coming off an innings win and the highest total in their Test history.

On the bowling front, Neil Wagner delivers short balls like a bowling machine that is programmed to do so all day. Tim Southee swings the ball like he doesn’t understand the meaning of straight lines. And Trent Boult keeps batsmen forever wide-eyed with searing pace and inch-perfect lengths.

Bangladesh have lost all the eight Tests they have played in New Zealand. Now, they have to win two in a row. It’s a tall ask against a team that hasn’t lost a home series in two years.

Key playersTom Latham (New Zealand): Wellington is the site of the opening batsman’s magnum opus – the 264* against Sri Lanka. Since that knock, he’s had two more centuries – both over 150 – in three innings. In his last four innings, Latham has spent 1687 minutes at the crease, which amounts to 28 hours. That’s a whole Test match in itself.

Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh): Left-handed opening batsmen dominated the first Test, with both Latham and Jeet Raval notching up centuries, while Iqbal did the same in the Bangladesh first innings. Iqbal has the class, experience and the burden to deliver. What he doesn’t have is support. Can his team-mates rally around him?

ConditionsThe last time Wellington hosted a Test, Latham struck 264*, New Zealand piled on 578, and Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis batted out an entire day. Bangladesh will be thrilled if they can produce such an effort, but it won’t win them the series. Also fostering the prospect of a draw is the weather. There is a 100% chance of rain on the opening day, and a 50% chance on the third day. The remaining days have minimal likelihood of rain, but there isn’t a day in the Test without showers forecast.

SquadsNew Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling (wk), Will Young

Bangladesh: Mahmudullah (c), Khaled Ahmed, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das (wk), Mominul Haque, Mehidy Hasan, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadat Hossain, Tamim Iqbal, Shadman Islam, Taijul Islam, Abu Jayed, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar