Cricket: NZ targeting 450

Debutant Peter Ingram scored a fluent 42 before pulling a shot straight to mid on. Photo / Getty Images

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Peter Ingram has learned his lines well since joining the New Zealand cricket team this month.

The 31-year-old marked his test debut by scoring a fluent 42 in New Zealand's middling 258 for five on the opening day of the one-off test against Bangladesh at Seddon Park in Hamilton yesterday.

Only an unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 100 between Martin Guptill, who was all class in reaching 80 not out, and Brendon McCullum, 58 not out, enabled the home side to get their noses in front by the close.

Afterwards, Ingram, a 31-year-old who has been around the provincial block, was left to share a familiar lament when it comes to the national side in recent years.

"We all got starts and more guys need to go on and make big scores, which hopefully Guppy and Baz can do tomorrow.

"There was a positive feeling in the team but we've talked about the need for guys to go on and put Bangladesh under some pressure," said Ingram, who considered a score of 400 to 450 would do that on a placid Seddon Park pitch.

To be fair, the main culprits yesterday were Ingram himself and Ross Taylor, who was all poise and polish in reaching 40 with seven boundaries before chasing a wide ball and being caught behind.

Ingram, too, was left to rue a poor decision after making his runs off just 47 balls, including five fours and one six hit straight down the ground off quality left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan, before an attempted pull shot saw him caught at mid on.

Openers BJ Watling and Tim McIntosh were nicked out early while captain Dan Vettori showed a rare rush of blood, stepping out of his crease to hit Al Hasan only to miss the ball and be bowled for 10.

It was not until the classy Guptill got together with McCullum, playing his 50th test, that New Zealand edged ahead of Bangladesh on an easy paced surface holding no terrors and offering little to no seam movement for the bowlers.

Bangladesh also had no one able to utilise the steamy overhead conditions to swing the ball, although the pace of young fast bowler Rubel Hossain commanded respect as he was regularly clocked at over 140km/h.

Making his first appearance in the middle order after eight tests as an opener or first drop, Guptill looked at ease in his new role after surviving a tough caught and bowled chance to Shafiul Islam when he was on four.

He hit 11 fours by the close while McCullum, who had appeared distracted while opening in the one-day series, eschewed rash strokeplay while taking advantage of a regular diet of loose deliveries.

Bangladesh were a liquorice all sorts mixture with the ball, tossing up 34 four balls as senior seamer Shahadat Hossain went for 74 off 13.1 wicketless overs and Rubel conceded 86 off 16 while picking up three wickets.

Islam was better than his figures of one for 54 off 16 suggested, but Al Hasan was top value on an unresponsive first day surface, sending down 20 overs for a return of one for 34.

- NZPA