Bangladesh head coach Steve Rhodes said that there is still a good chance of a result in the second Test despite first two days of the game was washed out following an incessant rain at Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Even the toss was not possible for the Test, considered a ‘do or die’ game for Bangladesh should they want to keep the three-match series alive.
Bangladesh lost the first Test in Hamilton by an innings and 52 runs margin after New Zealand bowlers came up a pretty good bowling show. Rhodes said the toss of the second Test will be crucial as they are looking forward to keep the hosts under pressure right from the beginning.
He also made it sure that Bangladesh would bowl first if they win the toss. “Hopefully we can win the toss tomorrow and get a few wickets early morning, If not than try and score some runs,” Rhodes said in Wellington on Saturday after the successive second day’s game was washed out.
“I think cricket is a strange game and we saw a lot of two days and three days game so there is still a good chance of result[ in this game].” But third day’s game is also under rain-threat, according to weather forecast. “Let’s see how weather remains tomorrow because I am not sure about the forecast but I think there is some rain around again tomorrow,” Rhodes informed. Last time in 2017, when Bangladesh played in Wellington, they racked up 595-8 (dec) thanks to Shakib Al Hasan’s career-best 217 and Mushfiqur Rahim’s classy 159.
But still they ended up losing the game by seven wickets after a poor show in second innings in which they were shot out for just 160 runs with fast bowlers Trent Boult and Neil Wagner running through their innings.
The wicket was then lush green, hardly looked separated from the greenish outfield. This time too, the wicket remains so and Rhodes said being positive is the best thing to conquer if there is any conundrum with the wicket. “The wicket was very green. We knew it’s going to be very green. We are well aware of how it was before and look we have got some people who played here before. They tell me it was very similar,” Rhodes disclosed.
“I think Tamim felt that it was very similar to the last time and the message that we tried to pass down to the guys playing here for the first time is that it always looks as if it does more than it actually does. So got to be positive about scoring runs in that wicket and also taking wickets.”
However Rhodes revealed that it was possible for at least 40-minute game on the second game but umpires deemed it as unfair for a batting side and hence decided to call off the day.
“Maybe at certain point of time the umpires felt that with 40 minutes of play it is certainly going to be unfair to one of the team,” he said.
“So they decided to start again tomorrow and I think that was the right call. I think it’s [not playing on second day] best for both team because it would have been truly unfair for one team to bat for 40 minutes.”
