Cricket: Guptill, McCullum lead NZ recovery

Martin Guptill posted his highest test score in Hamilton. Photo / NZPA

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The gloomy grey skies which cloaked Seddon Park from dawn until dusk must have reflected the mood of New Zealand's cricketers at various stages today before Martin Guptill helped brighten their outlook.

They certainly had no excuse to be in a jocular frame of mind after stumbling their way to 258 for five following a truncated opening day to the one-off test here against Bangladesh.

Morning rain then poor light restricted play to just 68.1 of the scheduled 90 overs, but the tourists had ample time to edge towards the New Zealand tail until they were held up by a fighting, unbeaten 80 from Guptill in his unveiling as a middle order batsman.

Demoted from the top order after eight tests, the stylish 23-year-old looked at home on his new perch at No 5, arriving at the crease with his side in some bother at 66 for three.

He will resume tomorrow with wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum on 58.

The two revived the innings with an unbroken stand of 100 for the sixth wicket, McCullum marking his 50th test with a composed half-century as he and Guptill helped make up for the earlier deficiencies of their teammates.

Unlike some of his colleagues, Guptill left extravagant strokeplay in his kit bag and made the most of being dropped on four when fast bowler Shafiul Islam spilled a difficult return catch.

He hit 11 boundaries to all points of the compass in a touch over three hours as he endeavoured to largely keep the ball along the carpet.

The day's proceedings were marked by some poor batsmanship and honest toil on a placid pitch by the young Bangladesh fast bowlers, who stuck to their task well, save for their most experienced operator in Shahadat Hossain.

There was nothing in the surface to trouble the New Zealanders, who still found ways to get out despite the Bangladeshis bowling too short to invite any swing in the humid conditions.

New cap Peter Ingram and the home side's most experienced batsman Ross Taylor both found the boundary regularly in quickly advancing to the 40s, and both played prominent roles in their dismissals.

Ingram, on debut at the age of 31, was on 42 and could have safely ignored a short ball from fast bowler Rubel Hossain; instead he took the bowler on and paid the price with a top edge lobbing to mid on.

Taylor, too, did not need to go searching for another boundary. He already had seven fours to his name in his 40 but he found some width offered by Rubel too tempting and the resulting edge ended in a diving catch to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim.

Skipper Dan Vettori also had an uncharacteristic lapse in judgment, his innings ending on 10 as he leapt down the pitch to left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan only to be bowled when he missed the ball completely.

Allied to the double failure of the openers Tim McIntosh and BJ Watling, both whittled out to edges behind the wicket, it meant New Zealand were wholly unconvincing on a placid pitch which required the Bangladeshi bowlers to bend their backs as they sought to make the most of helpful, cloudy overhead conditions.

Bangladesh may have missed a trick or two but captain Al Hasan had no cause to rue his habit of erring on the side of caution after lunch as the New Zealanders set about recovering from 73 for three.

His defensive field positions after lunch did not befit the match situation as he operated his best seam bowlers, Islam and Rubel, with just one slip and a gully with men posted on the point boundary and at deep square leg to save runs.

Considering New Zealand were in rebuilding mode, with Guptill had yet to establish himself, the tactic was an overtly negative one.

But Al Hasan had the last giggle anyway as Taylor conspired to get himself out before Vettori, batting at No 6, came and went.

Then they hit a wall called Guptill and McCullum.

Scoreboard at stumps on the first day of the one-off cricket test between New Zealand and Bangladesh at Seddon Park here today:-

New Zealand

First innings

T McIntosh c Kayes b Islam 7

BJ Watling c Siddique b R Hossain 13

P Ingram c S Hossain b R Hossain 42

R Taylor c Rahim b R Hossain 40

M Guptill not out 80

D Vettori b Al Hasan 10

B McCullum not out 58

Extras (1b, 2lb, 3w, 2nb) 8

Total (for 5 wkts, 68.1 overs) 258

Fall: 17 (McIntosh), 57 (Watling), 66, (Ingram), 126 (Taylor), 158 (Vettori).

Bowling: S Hossain 13.1.-1-74-0, S Islam 16-1-54-1 (2w), R Hossain 16-0-86-3 (1w, 2nb), S Al Hasan 20-5-34-1, A Ahmed 2-0-4-0, Mahmudullah 1-0-3-0.

- NZPA