New Zealand vs Bangladesh – 1st Test Match Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is New Zealand vs Bangladesh taking place? Friday, December 31st, 2021 – 22:00 (UK)
Where is New Zealand vs Bangladesh taking place? Bay Oval, Tauranga
What is the expected weather for New Zealand vs Bangladesh? 23-25c dry with light cloud and a gentle breeze throughout all five days with a chance of some sunny intervals on Days 1, 2 and 3.
What channel is New Zealand vs Bangladesh on? The match will be televised live on BT Sport
Where can I stream New Zealand vs Bangladesh? The match can be streamed live via the BT Sport App
LAST MEETING
New Zealand beat Bangladesh by an innings and 12 runs
THE TEAM NEWS
NEW ZEALAND
- New Zealand boast a formidable home Test series record, having won 13 of their last 17 Test matches on their own patch without defeat, their last loss coming at the hands of South Africa all the way back in March 2017.
- Captain Kane Williamson will miss this tour due to injury with opening batter Tom Latham deputising as skipper, whilst there is no place in the squad for spin-bowler Ajaz Patel despite his incredible ten-wicket haul against India in Mumbai earlier this month.
- Batter Devon Conway has recently made his return to action in domestic cricket following a broken hand suffered at the T20 World Cup and after being named in the Black Caps squad, will be hoping to gain a place in the starting line-up.
BANGLADESH
- Bangladesh’s most recent Test match action came in their own country, where they were beaten 0-2 by Pakistan, the most recent of those losses coming via an innings and eight runs.
- The Tigers last played Test cricket in New Zealand in 2019, where they suffered successive innings defeats and to avoid a similar fate here, they will have to improve significantly on what they showed against Pakistan under the captaincy of Mominul Haque.
- Experienced all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has opted out of the tour in what is a huge blow for Bangladesh from both a batting and bowling perspective, but at least spin-bowling wise the tourists won’t be as affected by Shakib’s absence due to the excellent recent form of Taijul Islam, who picked up ten of Bangladesh’s 16 wickets accrued against Pakistan across their two Test-matches.
THE PREDICTION
Home advantage will no doubt prove a key factor in this contest as it has for a number of years now in New Zealand. The Black Caps are an outstanding all-round unit in their own conditions with batters who contain the mental, technical and physical ability to bat for long periods of time, combined with a battery of fast bowling options who have the ability to get the most out of pacy pitches, which are normally very good to bat on. Even if we were to take home conditions out of the equation, and assess both squads based on individual ability, the fact is that New Zealand are vastly better in all departments. This should lead to a very one-sided affair at the Bay Oval, with the hosts expected to triumph comfortably and possibly even by an innings margin.
