KEY POINTS:
Bangladesh squandered an opportunity to heap more angst on New Zealand's cricketers at Eden Park today after a batting collapse left the home side needing a moderate 202 to take a morale-boosting one-day series lead.
Despite New Zealand's well documented batting frailties they should have little difficulty maintaining their unbeaten record against the subcontinental minnows after dismissing Bangladesh for 201 midway through the 47th over.
Until captain Mohammad Ashraful holed out in the deep in the 29th over Bangladesh were threatening to post a score in excess of 260.
Ashraful was both hero and villain for the tourists with his departure for a classy 70 signalling Bangladesh's slide to a sub-par score on a perfect batting track.
The elegant right-hander had toyed with a succession of New Zealand bowlers, notching his half-century in just 38 balls, before he picked out Peter Fulton at deep mid wicket when the score was 150 in the 29th over.
Ashraful stood mortified mid pitch as New Zealand's relieved fielders - and bowler Jacob Oram - raced to Fulton, all realising the soft dismissal could have drastic repercussions.
And so it proved as Bangladesh proceeded to lose three more wickets for just four runs, a slump that saw them regress from a position of dominance to a battle for survival.
Bangladesh eked out just 10 runs from the seven overs following their skipper's demise as Oram and a rejuvenated Mark Gillespie prospered.
Gillespie's turnaround was remarkable given he was spared further punishment after his first two overs cost 18 runs while Ashraful ran amok.
Playing for his future after an unimpressive tour of South Africa and Australia, the signs were initially not good for Gillespie as Tamim Iqbal and Ashraful carved 14 off his second over, forcing Daniel Vettori to take over at the eastern terrace end.
Gillespie was not alone as Ashraful, the youngest test centurion as a 17-year-old in 2001, was severe on all but Chris Martin.
Exploiting the oddly configured oval's short boundaries, Ashraful was thoroughly dominant after a streaky boundary over cover got him underway.
From a vulnerable and pedestrian 39 for two in the 12th over, Ashraful practically doubled the score within seven overs as he mauled an increasingly frayed bowling attack.
Tamim departed for a neat 50 when the score was 136, ending a brisk 97-run partnership and placing the onus on Ashraful to anchor the remainder of the innings.
However, Ashraful, who appeared on the march to his second one-day hundred, made a drastic miscalculation after failing to notice Fulton glide from square leg.
Ashraful's consummate knock contained 10 boundaries and a towering six off Gillespie, who enjoyed seeing the back of his tormenter, instantly coming back to take two wickets in his next over as Vettori had no hesitation in using his third and final powerplay.
Gillespie bowled Shakir Al Hasan off his pads and had Mushfiq Rahim caught at the wicket, and could have recorded even better figures had he not had Mashrafe Mortaza caught off a no ball before yorking Farhad Reza with Bangladesh's "free hit" with the next delivery of his sixth over.
The right-armer ended with three for 27 from eight overs; Oram and opening bowler Kyle Mills also snared three wickets while Martin maintained his discipline to concede just 27 runs off his 10.
Tailender Abdur Razzak provided some belated resistance for the tourists, smacking an unbeaten 22 while No 11 Shahdadat Hossain also caused some damage - striking square leg umpire Gary Baxter on the wrist before being last out for three.
- NZPA
