Cricket: Blackcaps stunned at Mt Maunganui, suffer historic first test defeat to Bangladesh

The Blackcaps have fallen to a history-making maiden test defeat to Bangladesh, losing by eight wickets at Mt Maunganui's Bay Oval.

A stunning effort with the ball, led by Ebadot Hossain (6/46) and Taskin Ahmed (3/36), saw New Zealand crumble to 169 all out inside the opening hour of the final day's play, and allowed the visitors a simple run chase to create history.

Chasing 40 runs for victory, Bangladesh cruised to their target in 16.5 overs, and sent a nation of nearly 165 million people into raptures, their first victory over the Blackcaps in any format on New Zealand soil.

The win is Bangladesh's sixth away test victory since their introduction to test cricket in 2001, and without question their most significant, with only a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka in 2017 giving it any competition.

What's more, Bangladesh have achieved the victory without two of its greatest ever players, missing both Shakib Al Hasan, and Tamim Iqbal - rested and injured for the two test series.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's loss is the Blackcaps' first on home soil since 2017, and ends an eight test series winning streak, also dating back to 2017. 

The defeat also means New Zealand are still yet to win in the new World Test Championship cycle, with the reigning champions having drawn once and lost twice in their first three matches.

Resuming at 147/5, and with a lead of only 17 runs, the Blackcaps' hopes of avoiding defeat were dealt a final blow in the early moments of the day, as veteran Ross Taylor fell for 40.

On Tuesday, Ebadot triggered a middle order collapse in the New Zealand batting order, and picked up where he left off by beating Taylor's inside edge to rattle the stumps.

Ebadot Hossain leads Bangladesh off Bay Oval after his six-wicket haul.
Ebadot Hossain leads Bangladesh off Bay Oval after his six-wicket haul. Photo credit: Image - Photosport

The wicket saw Ebadot complete his maiden five-wicket haul, the first Bangladesh bowler to do so in New Zealand since 2010 - when Rubel Hossain took 5/166 in a 121-run defeat in Hamilton.

Ebadot soon had a sixth by removing Kyle Jamieson for a duck, as the Blackcaps' No.8 was out to a stunning diving catch at midwicket by Shoriful Islam.

At the other end, 22-year-old Rachin Ravindra would have been hopeful of the heroics he'd shown on his test debut, when he defied India to save a draw in Kanpur.

But in reality, Ravindra fell six balls after Jamieson. The left-hander feathered a delivery from Taskin Ahmed through to the gloves of wicketkeeper Liton Das, and was out for 16 at 160/8, just 30 runs ahead.

Tim Southee didn't trouble the scorers, out bowled by Taskin for a duck at 161/9 to bring together Neil Wagner and Trent Boult as New Zealand's last wicket pair.

Boult hit two boundaries for his eight runs, but played one shot too many when spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz was introduced into the attack.

A slog into the leg side was spectacularly held by sub-fielder Taijul Islam, bringing New Zealand's innings to an end at 169 - the Blackcaps' lowest total against Bangladesh.

From 136/2 when Will Young and Ross Taylor were batting together in the afternoon of day four, the Blackcaps lost 8/33, with no answers to a fired up Ebadot.

Southee struck in his first over with the ball, as Shadman Islam edged behind to Tom Blundell at 3/1, seeing Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque in at No.3, with regular opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy ruled out of the rest of the tour with a finger injury.

Bangladesh batted to within one shot of victory at 34/1, before Jamieson dismissed Najmul Hossain Shanto for 17, but ultimately it was too little too late for the Blackcaps.

Fittingly, that saw Mushfiqur Rahim - Bangladesh's most-capped test cricketer - to the middle, with the chance to be involved in the winning moment. 

And as if scripted, it was Mushfiqur that sealed victory, cutting Jamieson for four and created history for a Bangaldesh side written off before a ball had been bowled.

The two sides will now head to Christchurch for the second test, beginning on Hagley Oval on January 9.

Bangladesh can look to complete their finest moment as a cricketing nation with a victory, while the Blackcaps will need to win to at the very least keep their World Test Championship title defence hopes alive.