Bangladesh save follow-on in first Test

Young left-hander Mominul Haque built on a maiden Test century as Bangladesh easily avoided the follow-on on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand in Chittagong today.
The 22-year-old was unbeaten on 172 as the hosts, replying to New Zealand's first innings total of 469, cruised to 272-4 by tea at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium.
Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim returned undefeated on 49, having added 92 for the fifth wicket with Mominul that left the New Zealand bowlers in disarray.
Bangladesh, who have lost eight and drawn one of their nine Tests against New Zealand, trail by 197 runs with six wickets in hand on a slow pitch that has offered the bowlers no assistance.

Debutant left-arm seamer Corey Anderson was the lone bowler to emerge with credit, conceding just 10 runs in as many overs in unhelpful conditions.
Fellow newcomer Ish Sodhi went for 68 runs in 16 overs of leg-spin, while left-arm slow bowler Bruce Martin conceded 51 runs in 13 overs.

Mominul, nicknamed Sourav by team-mates for a batting style that reminds them of former India captain Sourav Ganguly, has so far hit 26 boundaries.
He is now just 28 runs away from joining his skipper as the only two Bangladeshi batsmen to score a Test double-century. Rahim hit 200 against Sri Lanka in Galle in March.

Mominul, who came in to bat in his fourth Test match with the side struggling at 8-2 on Thursday evening, launched a spectacular counter-attack to keep the Black Caps at bay.
Mominul put on 126 for the third wicket with debutant Marshall Ayub, who defended dourly at the other end while making 25.
The pair, resuming at 103-2, took the score to 134 when Ayub was caught behind to hand Anderson his first Test wicket.
Former captain Shakib Al Hasan scored 19 in a fourth-wicket stand of 46 with Mominul when he was caught behind off Kane Williamson in the first over after lunch.

The second Test will be played in Dhaka from October 21 to 25, followed by three one-day internationals and one Twenty20 match.