Blackcaps vs Bangladesh: First Test Debrief
Bat tap
The first Test between Aotearoa and Bangladesh will go down as a Test win to the kiwis.
Although, it doesn't feel as much. Of course the Blackcaps put in a nice performance to snatch another late-in-day-five win, so some celebration is required.
Mushfiqur Rahim's blow to the noggin' however flipped the script on the entire contest, a blow that was largely his own fault. Sure, Rahim was all good and our fears were some what settled, his 'retired' innings saw the retirement of Banglaesh's resistance. Rahim was part of that innings with Shakib Al Hasan and losing a quality batsman like Rahim was effectively the final call. Then, regardless of Rahim's ultimate health, it's hard not to ponder how it would feel to a Bangladesh player trying to compete at the highest level of cricket after seeing your skipper (Kane Williamson for us kiwis) taken from the field.
Bowling to Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, two of Aotearoa's best batsmen ever, wouldn't have been high on my agenda with my skipper in hopsital.
Short-pitch bowling is what makes international cricket, or Test cricket the brutal Test of your mental and physical skills that it is. If you can't deal with a bouncer in premier club cricket, you'll struggle in First-Class cricket, if you can't deal with a bouncer in FC cricket, may the force be with you in Test cricket when you're facing bouncer after (at least) 130km/h bouncer.
A batsman has two options: use their bat to defend themselves (attack can be the best form of defence) or evade the bouncer.
Rahim didn't play it in the best manner, did he?
With that in mind, I just don't think there's reason to celebrate a 'sensational' Test win.
One time for Bangladesh though; batsman battling through all sorts of injuries and scoring record-breaking runs from their willow.
What did we really learn about the Blackcaps? Surrounded by the context of Bangladesh's first innings, not a whole lot as pretty much everyone got runs and the seed of a mundane new-ball combination continued to grow in unfavourable conditions while Neil Wagner remains our best bowler thanks to - not swing, seam or rapid pace - a barrage of short-pitch bowling.
Kudos to Wagner because he's doing exactly what this team needs, doing what Tim Southee and Trent Boult aren't doing in conditions that don't have the ball nippin'.
Henry Nicholls and Mitchell Santner got runs which was nice as they have required a decent knock to add weight to their selection cases. Wait, I did learn something as enjoying the cricketing pleasure via Tom Latham, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor; these are our top-three Test batsmen. If they are our three best Test batsmen, the responsibility to score runs needs to be mostly upon their shoulders.
The more responsibility we place in Latham, Williamson and Taylor to score runs in all conditions means less pressure or expectation on guys like Nicholls, Santner and Jeet Raval. These lads are still sussing out Test cricket, or more specifically batting in Test cricket, and it's a bit silly to demand they score runs every time while they are learning. Latham, Williamson and Taylor are the guys who hold it all together and they are good enough to handle that pressure and perhaps, instead of whinging about Nicholls, Santner or Raval not getting runs, let's ponder how or why Latham, Williamson or Taylor didn't.
For now, anyway. Soon Nicholls, Santner and Raval will be settled Test players. Then we've got six quality Test batsmen, just be patient for the next six months.
On to the second Test, where more skillful bowling - in slightly more favourable conditions -will hopefully go down.