New Zealand vs Bangladesh (Latham and Munro topple Bangladesh)

New Zealand 341 for 7 (Latham 137, Munro 87, Shakib 3-69) beat Bangladesh 264 for 9 (Shakib 59, Neesham 3-36, Ferguson 3-59) by 77 runs.

Tom Latham and Colin Munro set up New Zealand's 77-run win in Christchurch, after their 158-run stand for the fifth wicket pulled the hosts out of a difficult position. The result left Bangladesh with a lot of worries, from their fast bowlers' lack of discipline to Mushfiqur Rahim retiring hurt with a potential hamstring injury.

Latham played one of his more fluent innings and made a career-best 137. Along with Munro, who made a 61-ball 87, Latham led New Zealand to 341 for 7 - their highest total in ODIs against Bangladesh.

Watch Match Highlights Here

In reply, Bangladesh ended on 264 for 9 in 44.5 overs, after James Neesham's double-wicket maiden tilted the contest in New Zealand's favour, and Lockie Ferguson's short balls sealed it.

Latham had started with a punch through covers in the third over, and continued timing the ball well through his innings. His first six was a pick-up over square leg off Soumya Sarkar, before he dropped anchor. That Latham batted until the 48th over was a relief for New Zealand, considering how they had begun.

Hagley Oval had provided a pitch with true pace and bounce, and all a batting side needed was partnerships. Kane Williamson won the toss but every time two of his batsmen seemed to have the measure of Bangladesh, they faltered.

Mustafizur Rahman, in his first international match since July, got rid of Martin Guptill with a slower ball in the sixth over. Williamson had looked solid, becoming the joint fourth fastest to 4000 ODI runs - 96 innings - before he was caught behind off a short ball from Taskin Ahmed for 31. Shakib Al Hasan then removed Neil Broom, playing his first ODI in six years, and Neesham in the space of 4.1 overs, both lbw playing back to full deliveries.

New Zealand were 158 for 4 in the 29th over, their middle order exposed. In a matter of a few overs, however, they were in a position of strength. Munro walked in, struck the fifth ball he faced for six, and backed it up with a rasping cover drive off Shakib.

Latham and Munro lifted the score by 70 between the 30th and 40th overs, setting an excellent platform for the final ten. After Latham reached a hundred on his home ground - his father Rod was watching from the stands - with a pulled six off Taskin in the 40th over, Munro moved to his third fifty, peppering the boundaries at square leg and long-on.

Bangladesh conceded 103 in the last ten overs, but more grating to them were three dropped catches. Though none of them cost much - Broom was given a reprieve on 17 and fell for 22, Munro lasted only two balls after his second life, and Latham added 22 after he was dropped - Bangladesh's bowling and fielding suggested they were undercooked.

Mustafizur was returning from shoulder surgery on his bowling arm and his pace was markedly slower, though his cutters seemed unaffected. He finished with 2 for 62. Mashrafe Mortaza faded away after his first spell, and Taskin was far too short for most of his nine overs. Shakib, the lead spinner, had to settle for his most expensive three-for while part-timers Sarkar and Mosaddek Hossain hardly looked penetrating in their combined 11 overs. It begged the question: why didn't Mashrafe use Mahmudullah at all?

A good start was vital for Bangladesh to chase down the target but opener Imrul Kayes - after top-edging for four and six in the second over - was caught behind off Tim Southee in the eighth. The batsman opted for a review, and it confirmed the edge.

Neesham then put Bangladesh in more trouble when he dismissed Sarkar and Mahmudullah in his first over. Sarkar was caught at mid-off for 1, before Mahmudullah nicked off for 0, leaving Bangladesh 48 for 3 in the 12th over. Thirty-three runs were added for the fourth wicket before Tamim Iqbal's upper-cut found Mitchell Santner, who ran in from the sweeper cover boundary to complete the catch.

Shakib was faced with a bouncer barrage during his 54-ball stay and he took it on, striking five fours and two sixes, one of which was a massive blow over wide long-on off Ferguson. Against the following delivery, fast and short again, Shakib was late on the pull shot and was caught at short midwicket for 59.

Mushfiqur added 52 for the seventh wicket with Mosaddek Hossain, but hurt his hamstring while completing a tight single in the 38th over. He called for the physio immediately and hung around for a couple of overs after some medical attention, but eventually decided to retire hurt. He had made 42 off 48 balls.

Bangladesh's run-rate had matched New Zealand's until about the 40th over, but the visitors had lost too many wickets to keep up. Mosaddek's fast fifty, laced with three sixes and five fours, was one of the few positives they could take to Nelson for the remaining two ODIs.

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

New Zealand VS Pakistan Day 4 (Kane Williamson's 50 guides Black Caps to easy win in 1st Test)

Kane Williamson top-scored for New Zealand in the chase with a score of 61.

A Kane Williamson half century saw New Zealand snap a four-Test losing streak when they beat Pakistan by eight wickets Sunday in the first Test at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.

A low-scoring match was wrapped up inside eight sessions after the first day's washout, with Williamson's second innings 61 -- his 24th Test half-century -- the top score of the match.

Set 105 to win after Pakistan were all out for 171 in their second innings on the morning of the fourth day, Williamson lost his wicket with the scores level, leaving debutant Jeet Raval to seal victory with a boundary off Yasir Shah.

It was a much-needed confidence boost for the home side, coming off a 3-0 series whitewash in India and a comprehensive 204-run loss to South Africa.

New Zealand's debutants shone. Opener Raval was unbeaten on 36 in the second innings after top-scoring in the first innings with 55 while Colin de Grandhomme gave a masterful display of medium-paced bowling, taking 6 for 41 in the first innings when Pakistan were skittled for 133.

After New Zealand replied with 200, Pakistan resumed their second innings on Sunday at 129 for 7 and added a further 42 to be all out for 171.

Sohail Khan posted a Test-best 40 as he and Asad Shafiq (17) showed gritty resistance at the start of the day.

But their 53-run stand for the eighth wicket came to an end when Sohail half-heartedly pulled a short-pitched Southee delivery to de Grandhomme at backward square.

Neil Wagner, who returned figures of 3 for 34, claimed the wicket of Shafiq and Southee closed the innings when he had Rahat Ali caught for two.

Southee finished with 3 for 53 and Trent Boult, who leaked 19 runs in two overs on Sunday, took 3 for 37.

Pakistan removed opener Tom Latham early in New Zealand's saunter to the finish when he fended at a sharply rising Mohammad Amir delivery and was caught by Shafiq at gully for nine.

It ended a disappointing Test for Latham who fell lbw to Amir in the first innings for one.

Williamson and Raval were largely untroubled through to the end of the innings until New Zealand reached 104 to level the scores and Williamson swept Azhar Ali straight to Sami Aslam at fine leg.

The second and final Test in the series starts in Hamilton on Friday with New Zealand searching for their first series win over Pakistan in 31 years.

New Zealand v Pakistan 1st Test Results ,(Hosts press home advantage on day three)

Pakistan's Sohail Khan celebrates the wicket of Colin de Grandhomme

New Zealand established a commanding position in the first Test against Pakistan, after 14 wickets fell on day three in Christchurch.

Despite being bowled out for 200 just before lunch, a strong performance from the home side's bowlers towards the back end of the day meant Pakistan closed the day only 62 runs ahead with three second-innings wickets remaining.

Earlier, Kane Williamson's side resumed on 104-3, just 29 runs behind with hopes of building a big first innings total, but the morning session belonged to the touring party's bowlers as New Zealand's last seven wickets fell for 96 runs - Rahat Ali the pick of the Pakistan bowlers with 4-62 from his 15.5 overs.

Henry Nicholls (30) was the first to fall - lbw to Sohail Khan (3-78) - before debutant Jeet Raval edged Mohammad Amir (3-43) to first slip without adding to his overnight score of 55.

Colin de Grandhomme hit some lusty blows in his first Test innings with a quickfire 29 from 37 balls, including six fours, while useful cameos from Tim Southee (22) and Neil Wagner (21) helped the home side to 200 all out and a first-innings lead of 67.

After safely negotiating six overs before lunch, the tourists went into their shell in the afternoon session, adding just 44 runs in 29 overs for the loss of Sami Aslam (7 from 57 balls).

With runs continuing to dry up after tea, Neil Wagner (2-21) peppered Pakistan's batsmen with a spell of short pitched bowling and was rewarded with his 100th Test wicket when Babar Azam (29) gloved behind, before Younus Khan (1) was removed with another vicious short ball.

Trent Boult (3-18) ended Azhar Ali's laborious innings of 31 from 173 balls after bowling the opener via the inside edge, and he also dismissed Sarfraz Ahmed (2) and Amir (6) before the close as New Zealand go into day four well placed to go 1-0 up in the two-Test series.

South Africa v England: Nick Compton & Taylor lead recovery

Nick Compton is playing in his first Test since the second game of the home series with New Zealand in May 2013

First Test, Durban, day one

England 179-4: Taylor 70, Compton 63*; Steyn 3-29

South Africa: Yet to bat

Nick Compton and James Taylor half-centuries led England's fightback after an early collapse against South Africa on a rain-affected opening day in the first Test in Durban.

The pair came together at 49-3 after Alastair Cook (0) and Alex Hales (10) failed and Joe Root fell for 24.

They added a patient 125 for the fourth wicket before Taylor (70) became Dale Steyn's third victim late on.

Compton was unbeaten on 63 as England closed a truncated day on 179-4.

Rain and then bad light meant only 65.1 overs were possible, meaning play will start half an hour earlier than scheduled at 07:30 GMT on Sunday.

All five days are likely to be needed if there is to be a result on a slow, flat wicket that offers some sideways movement for the seamers but also rewards diligent batting.

England Tests in South Africa

26-30 December 1st Test, Durban

2-6 January 2nd Test, Cape Town (08:30 GMT)

14-18 January 3rd Test, Wanderers, Johannesburg (08:30 GMT)

22-26 January 4th Test, Centurion (08:30 GMT)

Compton and Taylor prove a point

Compton's last Test appearance came in May 2013 against New Zealand, after which he was dropped following a fourth straight failure with the bat.

However, successive Test hundreds in New Zealand two months earlier had demonstrated his ability, something he underlined by scoring 1,123 County Championship runs for Middlesex this season.

Taylor had endured a similarly lengthy exile from the Test side from August 2012 before a combination of domestic form and impressive displays in the England one-day side prompted a Test recall against Pakistan in November.

Initially, they had to repel the South Africa attack before steadily building a partnership and, while they never truly took the game to the home side, their comfort grew as the ball aged.

Taylor was the more aggressive, scoring 70 off 137 balls, in contrast to Compton's 63 from 42 balls more.

Taylor, though, was unable to survive the day and give himself a chance of a maiden Test century as Steyn struck shortly before the close.

Steyn hits the ground running

Steyn missed the final three Tests of South Africa's recent series defeat in India with a groin problem, but was declared fully fit for this series, much to the concern of England, who are without their own attack leader - James Anderson - in Durban through injury.

With fellow seamer Vernon Philander ruled out of the first and second Tests with an ankle problem, the presence of Steyn is vital for the Proteas, and his two early wickets put England on the back foot.

Only 6.1 overs were possible in the morning session after South Africa won the toss, but in that time England lost captain Cook as Steyn found an edge that carried to Dean Elgar at second slip.

When Steyn resumed his over after the rain break, during which lunch was taken, Hales fuelled the detractors who feel he is ill-suited to opening in Test cricket by edging a loose drive behind.

Even late in a day of toil, 32-year-old Steyn - the world's top-ranked bowler - demonstrated his energy when he found Taylor's outside edge.

Different personnel, same problem

Hales' wicket left England 12-2, but Compton was joined at the crease by Root, who has so often been England's saviour from perilous situations early in their innings, notably during this summer's Ashes series win over Australia.

He and Compton briefly steadied the ship by adding 37 for the third wicket, before Root was trapped lbw playing back to off-spinner Dane Piedt's first ball.

It was another example of the top-order problems England have suffered of late, which led to Adam Lyth and Ian Bell being dropped and Moeen Ali temporarily employed as an opener.

The tourists were therefore thankful that Compton and Taylor showed the discipline required to frustrate South Africa for 45 overs.

Compton will resume on Sunday alongside Ben Stokes, who is five not out.

Dale Steyn returned to the South Africa side after seven weeks out injured

Source: BBC