2nd Test, Day 1: Spinners Drag Bangladesh Back Into Contest As New Zealand Teeter On 55-5

Spinners Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam shared five wickets between them to help Bangladesh claw their way back into contention with New Zealand struggling at 55-5 in Wednesday's opener to the second Test. An astonishing 15 wickets fell in the first day's play in Dhaka, with the hosts all out for just 172 in an innings where Mushfiqur Rahim became just the second batsman in Test history to be dismissed for obstructing the field. Mehidy and Taijul then cut a swathe through New Zealand in the final session before bad light prompted an early finish.

Mehidy scalped Devon Conway (11), Kane Williamson (13) and Tom Blundell (0) in between Taijul's dismissal of Tom Latham (4) and Henry Nicholls (1) to obliterate the tourists' early advantage.

"We believed that we could make life difficult for them if we bowled in the right areas," Mehidy said after the day's play.

"We struggled against their spinners. We know these conditions pretty well, so that gave our bowlers the confidence that we could take more advantage from this pitch."

Daryl Mitchell was batting on 12 alongside Glenn Phillips on five when stumps were drawn at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, with nine overs remaining.

Mitchell Santner and Phillips earlier took 3-65 and 3-31 respectively after the hosts opted to bat, while Ajaz Patel claimed 2-54 for the tourists as they dominated in their bid to level the two-match series.

'Going to be a scrap'

"We saw the ball going a lot, so I think if it dries up a little bit, it might start to flatten out," Santner said of the spin-obliging pitch.

"We know it's going to be a scrap, and we just have to try and apply ourselves."

Mushfiqur top-scored with 35 after Bangladesh opted to bat, helping the hosts recover from a dismal