Jayden Lennox Picks A Wicket On 1st Ball Of International Career, Becomes Only 3rd Player To...

Jayden Lennox in action for NZ [Source: AFP]

Visiting New Zealand was all over Bangladesh in the powerplay of the third and final T20I of the series at the Sher-E-Bangla Stadium, Mirpur, ripping into the top-order as they look to square the series. Having lost the first T20I and a washed-out match in Chattogram, this is their final attempt to salvage something from the tour.

In their bid to level the T20I series, with a second-fiddle squad, New Zealand handed left-arm orthodox spinner Jayden Lennox his T20I debut on Saturday afternoon. Lennox and Ben Sears were roped into the playing XI to replace the pacer duo of Ben Lister and Matthew Fisher.

Notably, Lennox made the best of the opportunity and added his name to a rate list of New Zealanders to achieve a special T20I feat, while also putting Bangladesh onto the back-foot.

Jayden Lennox's joins elite list of NZ bowlers on T20I debut

Coming to Dhaka for the series decider after New Zealand had already lost the ODIs against Bangladesh, they decided to hand over the debut cap to Jayden Lennox, who would be the second spinner on the day after Ish Sodhi.

On a track, which is slow and low-scoring, it was the perfect opportunity for Lennox to make his mark in T20Is, at 31, and he made the most out of it. Just three overs into the match after putting Bangladesh in to bat first, captain Nick Kelly gave the ball to Lennox, who went around the wicket and straightaway got his maiden T20I scalp in Saif Hassan.

At 3.1, Lennox tossed up a delivery on the middle and off. Saif Hassan, who was 16 off 10 at the point got done by the flight and jumped down the track but could only find Tim Robinson on mid-off.

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With this, Jayden Lennox became the only third Blackcaps' star to pick a wicket on the first ball of his T20I career. Interestingly, all the three players to achieve this feat picked their wickets against the same opposition, Bangladesh.

New Zealand bowlers with first ball wicket in T20I careers:

1.  Lockie Ferguson- Sabbir Rahman (BAN), Napier, 2017.
2. Cole McConchie- Mohammad Naim (BAN), Mirpur, 2021.
3. Jayden Lennox- Saif Hassan (BAN), Mirpur, 2026.

New Zealand dominate Bangladesh in Mirpur

With Bangladesh leading the series 1-0 after two matches, the only positive outcome for the travellers is a tied T20I series after 2-1 loss in ODIs. With both Mitchell Santner and Tom Latham out injured, Nick Kelly, who is also young in his international career won the all-important toss and asked Bangladesh to bat first.

Taking advantage of the conditions, Jayden Lennox's maiden wicket was followed by a double-wicket over from Nathan Smith. At the point, when rain stopped play after 6.4 overs, NZ are ahead in the match with the hosts down to 50/3.

Lennox impresses early in international career

The Central Districts' southpaw, fairly late in his career was handed his interanational debut against India earlier in January and bowled with immense control in the two ODIs that he played.

In New Zealand's first ODI series win in India, he finished with 3 wickets at an economy rate of 4.20 runs per over. With 5 ODIs played so far, he has 8 wickets, conceding only 4.12 runs per over. For the Central Districts, he has also bowled well across formats, racking up 56 FC wickets, 84 List A wickets and 63 T20 wickets.

With Mitchell Santner sustaining a shoulder ACL tear, he is ruled out till the first Test against New Zealand later this summer and it could possibly also open up a window of opportunity for Lennox to make his Test debut in the away tour. 

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