Caps chasing the win

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Black Caps opener Tom Latham insists that New Zealand are still looking to win the first Test against Bangladesh at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

The game appears to be heading for a stalemate after both teams passed 500 in their first innings which took nearly four days to complete.

But the Black Caps are eager to bowl Bangladesh out and attempt to chase whatever total they are set on day five.

Bangladesh slipped from 46 without loss to 66 for 3 late on day four to ignite the Black Caps hopes of a win.

Latham said after play: “I wouldn’t say you sense the panic [in the Bangladesh batsmen], but we’ve got three world-class seamers and a very good spinner. If we can put the ball in good areas for long enough then hopefully we can create that doubt.

“If we can keep taking wickets in clumps and if they don’t build any partnerships, that’s the key for us.

“Possibly it might start going up and down and might start turning a little bit more. I still think it’s a very good batting surface though, and if we are chasing a score partnerships will be a key to winning.

“We like to play a winning brand of cricket and whatever the score is, hopefully it’s a reasonable chase and we’ll certainly be having a go at it. It’s a massive day tomorrow and that first hour is going to set the tone.”

Neil Wagner was struck on the helmet three times by seamer Kamrul Rabbi Islam three times with one of the blows leaving the Black Caps bowler with a nasty cut on his chin.

Latham said of the incident: “It’s never nice to see a team-mate get hit.

“The medical team were out there and they were assessing him, and we’ve got to leave it in their hands. He was fine, he’s a pretty tough character.”

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