Rain Halts Blackcaps Steady Build

Chittagong: New Zealand were 117-1 in their second innings when rain forced play to be called off after tea on the fourth day of the first Test against Bangladesh on Saturday.

Peter Fulton was on 44 and Kane Williamson was on 28, leaving the Black Caps 85 runs ahead with nine wickets in hand.

Earlier, Bangladesh scored 501 in reply to New Zealand's 469 with Sohag Gazi compiling a maiden Test century.

Lower-order batsman Sohag Gazi hit a maiden Test century to round off an impressive batting display by Bangladesh.

The hosts, lying at the bottom of the Test table in 10th place, piled up 501 in reply to New Zealand's 469 before being all out soon after lunch on the fourth day with a lead of 32 runs.

Hamish Rutherford was removed after making a fluent 32, leg-before in Nasir Hossain's first over.

Both sides face a tough task to force a result on the slow, newly-laid pitch at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium that has offered no assistance to either seam or spin bowlers.

Gazi, a 22-year-old off-spinner whose highest score in six previous Tests was 32, remained unbeaten on 101 after coming in to bat at number eight. He hit 10 boundaries and three sixes.

Gazi and Robiul Islam exposed the limitations of the Black Caps' attack by adding 105 runs for the ninth-wicket to help Bangladesh grab the first-innings lead.

Robiul hit a career-best 33 before he was dismissed soon after lunch, caught off seamer Doug Bracewell, who returned as New Zealand's most successful bowler with three wickets for 96 runs.

Frontline spinners Bruce Martin and Ish Sodhi both conceded over 100 runs, while part-timer Williamson went for 1/83 in 27 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.

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.

Brief scores
New Zealand 469 (Williamson 114, Watling 103, Abdur Razzak 3-147) & 117/1 (Fulton 44)
Bangladesh 501 (Mominul Haque 181, Sohag Gazi 101*, Bracewell 3-96)
Status New Zealand lead by 85 runs

Scores	Upcoming	Results
South Africa vs Pakistan - 3rd ODI 4th Test - Australia v India - December 26-30, 23:30 GMT 1st Test - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan - December 26-30, 07:30 GMT 3rd ODI - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan at Harare Afghanistan won by 8 wickets (with 139 balls remaining) 3rd T20I - West Indies v Bangladesh at St Vincent Bangladesh won by 80 runs

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