Bangladesh fast bowling coach Ottis Gibson ‘proud of the way his bowlers kept going all day’

The Bangladesh seamers were accurate with the new ball and then picked up late wickets to restrict New Zealand to 258 for 5 on day one

What left many surprised was how accurate the Bangladesh bowlers were in the first hour and how they came back to take three wickets when the momentum seemed to have gone away to restrict New Zealand to 258 for 5.

The pair added 138 runs in a fighting second-wicket stand, but even though New Zealand looked to have gone into a position of strength, the late wickets of centurion Conway and Tom Blundell was again a reminder from the Bangladesh bowlers that they remained an interested party.

“I think the fast bowlers bowled well in difficult conditions,” Gibson said. “They toiled really hard. It is hot today. I thought we were brilliant with the new ball. We pitched the ball up, swung it and beat the bat on numerous occasions. We could have had a few more wickets. We are playing against the best team in the world. There was a close lbw shout against Devon Conway. On another day, it is given out. Those are the small margins in international cricket. I am quite proud of the way the boys battled and kept going all day.”

Gibson said they worked hard on bowling full deliveries that swung, a factor that often goes missing when they play Tests at home. “We have been working on swinging the ball a lot. I think you will see everyone swung the ball at some point today. We tend to bowl back of length in Bangladesh because we don’t get much swing there. Here, we pitched the ball up quite a lot fuller. We have been working hard since getting off the plane in Christchurch.”

“That’s Test cricket – that’s what I tell him. You will not get wickets every day. But tomorrow there’s still five wickets to get. Maybe he can get three or four wickets, after getting himself freshened up. He bowled very well today.”