Jeet Raval and Tom Latham both hit centuries for the Black Caps. Photos / Photosport
Jeet Raval and Tom Latham both hit centuries for the Black Caps. Photos / Photosport
By Niall Anderson at Seddon Park
As Jeet Raval and Tom Latham went about compiling New Zealand's biggest opening partnership in 47 years, you could be forgiven for wanting Bangladesh to be put out of their misery.
Fortunately for the Black Caps, fans of records, and, well, masochists, there's still three days to go in the first test at Seddon Park, and on the basis of today's utter dominance, a lot more to celebrate in store for New Zealand.
Nobody would have more reason for celebration than Jeet Raval, who reached his first century in his 17th test with an excellent innings as the Black Caps flew to 451-4 at stumps, a lead of 217 runs.
While his spot at the top of the order had never been under real threat due to a series of solid scores, Raval was eager to break his three-figure duck, and he did so in style, barely offering a chance, and bringing up his century with stellar back-to-back boundaries.
Raval felt his century was a pleasant reward for his hard work behind the scenes.
"I've been working on my discipline and the focus that I wanted to build on, especially the starts but going on to be able to get a big one for the team. That's what I've been working on the last few weeks, and nice to see it come good.
It was perhaps a less memorable innings for Tom Latham, which is only a ridiculous indication of his incredible form. For the third time in three months, Latham reached 150, as part of a partnership that flew past Bangladesh's first innings of 234 without being broken.
Just as historians started to deviate to analysing world records, Raval tried to slog Mahmudullah, but got a top edge. The ball flew high to Khaled Ahmed, who nearly badly misjudged it, but eventually took the catch, reaching full-stretch above his head.
This was a catch from Bangladesh's Khaled Ahmed, but it also summed up their day in the field. Photo / Photosport
It ended a 254-run stand, the third biggest opening partnership for New Zealand and the 12th largest for any wicket, but Latham carried on, becoming just the sixth New Zealand batsmen to reach 150 on four occasions.
Not bad for a man who was dropped second ball, and while the culprit – Soumya Sarkar – eventually claimed extremely belated revenge by having Latham caught at slip for 161, it was another stellar performance by a batsman rapidly elevating himself amongst New Zealand's best openers of all time.
So, a combined 293 runs later, Bangladesh had their men. Their reward? Oh, just New Zealand's greatest test batsman doing what he does, as Kane Williamson looked his usual classy self as he coasted to within seven runs of a potential 20th test century.
Bangladesh's seamers – largely unused in subcontinent conditions and with no experience in New Zealand conditions – never looked likely, having now failed to claim a wicket in their combined 66 overs of toil. For a while, they tried to emulate Neil Wagner's success on day one, digging deliveries in short, but with Raval expertly judging the bounce, and Latham cruising past 3000 test runs, the scoreboard never stopped ticking over.
Resuming the day at 86-0, the pair cruised through the first session; Latham blasting the spinners into the seats, while Raval carved a favoured zone through mid-wicket and the covers. It was the fifth time two New Zealand openers had scored a century in the same innings, and their contributions led to New Zealand's best opening stand since 1972.
Jeet Raval and Tom Latham both hit centuries for the Black Caps. Photos / Photosport
And when Mahmudullah – in his only over of the day – finally broke the stand after 69.5 overs, Williamson – having sat watching in his pads for over six hours - simply added to Bangladesh's woes.
Only Ross Taylor – trapped lbw by Soumya for four – missed out on the fun, with Henry Nicholls hitting 53 in a century stand with Williamson, and putting New Zealand's biggest total in test history – 690 – under threat as more runs loom tomorrow.
