Bangladesh's ninth-wicket pair of Sohag Gazi and Robiul Islam put on an unbroken 104-run stand as the hosts grabbed the lead on the fourth day of the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday.
Bangladesh, replying to New Zealand's first innings total of 469, were 491-8 at lunch, a lead of 22 runs with two wickets in hand at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium in Chittagong.
Gazi, a 22-year-old off-spinner whose highest score in six previous Tests was 32, was unbeaten on a stroke-filled 95 that was studded with nine boundaries and three sixes.
Robiul was on 33 at the break, having surpassed his previous best of 24, as the tourists struggled to end the innings on a slow pitch that offered the bowlers no assistance.
Frontline spinners Bruce Martin and Ish Sodhi both conceded over 100 runs, while seamer Doug Bracewell went for 2-91 in 23 overs.
Bangladesh added seven runs to their overnight score of 380-7 when they lost Abdur Razzak for seven, leg-before to seamer Trent Boult.
But Gazi and Robiul settled in to lift the hosts past New Zealand's total and give themselves an outside chance of forcing a result in the remaining five sessions.
Bangladesh are looking for their first Test win against New Zealand, having lost eight and drawn one of their nine matches against the Black Caps.
The second Test will be played in Dhaka from October 21 to 25, followed by three one-day internationals and one Twenty20 match.
Source: AFP
