Bangladesh didn’t give us too many opportunities: Wagner

New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner admitted that

Bangladesh left them in cornered position by batting and bowling sensibly
over the last two days of the first Test.

He particularly praised Bangladeshi batters performance, saying that they
didn’t give them too many opportunities in the passage of second day’s game.

Bangladesh ended the second day on 175-2, still trailing by 153 runs after
New Zealand were bowled out for 328 in the first innings. Young opener
Mahmudul Hasan Joy was batting on 70 with captain Mominul Haque on 8. Najmul
Hossain Shanto was the other notable scorer with 64 and added 104-run with
Joy for the second wicket.

“The younger guys today played phenomenally. I thought they played
patiently. They didn’t really give too many opportunities. They hung in
there. They were prepared to dig in. They left the ball quite a lot. It made
us ask more questions, and take wickets. It gave them the opportunity to
score. I thought that they played really well. Full credit to them.I thought
when the ball was there to be scored, they scored.  They also left well and
defended well,” Wagner said of Bangladeshi batters.

When almost all of the teams around the world generally found New Zealand
conditions tougher, Wagner said Bangladesh are always a tough opponent in
this condition.

“Bangladesh have been pretty tough opponents whenever they have come here.
They have always played well in our conditions. The likes of Shakib play a
different brand of cricket. They come out quite aggressively, play a few more
shots. It creates an opportunity for us to take wickets, as well. They are
quality players and have been around for quite some time,” he said.

Even though Bangladesh are on top now, Wagner believed they still have the
chance to claw back into the game.

“They played really well. They showed a lot of patience. They showed a bit
of fight. It is a tough graft out there. It is just a good days’ hard and
tough Test cricket,” he said.

“I think we fought really hard, but couldn’t really string together enough
to create pressure from both ends. Everyone tried really hard but it wasn’t
to be our day. But it is Test cricket: we have an opportunity tomorrow to
fight harder, and get early wickets,” Wagner concluded.

BSS