Tom Latham has urged his players to learn from Bangladesh after New Zealand were humiliated by eight wickets in the first Test match at the Bay Oval on Wednesday. Bangladesh’s eight-wicket win also ended New Zealand’s 17th game unbeaten streak at home in Tests.
“We weren’t quite there in all three facets. Bangladesh showed us how to go about things on that wicket. They were able to build partnerships, bowl (tight) at both ends and apply lots of pressure. We couldn't quite do it for long enough,” Latham said after the match.
Batting first New Zealand rode on Devin Conway’s 122 to put 328 runs in the first innings. Bangladesh replied with 458 with four players registering half-centuries and taking a crucial 130-run lead.
Ebadot Hossain, who had picked just one wicket for 75 runs in the first innings, did the star turn with his 6/46 as New Zealand were bowled out for 169 to give the visitors a meager 40-run target.
Bangladesh romped home in 16.5 overs with Mushfiqur Rahim hitting the winning runs. According to Latham, if they had got 450 runs in the first innings, things would have been different. “Full credit to Bangladesh the way they went about things for all five days and they thoroughly deserved this win,” added Latham.
It was only Bangladesh’s sixth Test win away from home and also the first-ever win in New Zealand across formats and also the first Test win against a top-five team away from home. Bangladesh haven't won any of their previous 43 matches in New Zealand across formats before Wednesday's victory.
Latham wants his players to learn from this defeat and turn things around in Christchurch in few days’ time. “Hopefully we can take the learnings from this Test match and apply them to what would be a different surface at Hagley,” Latham continued.
“For every individual, it’s important that they reflect on how they went about their things and take their learnings from a surface like this and obviously the information from Bangladesh. Focus has got to turn quickly to Hagley and hopefully, we can put out a good performance there.”
