Cricket: Tom Latham century leads Black Caps to series win against Bangladesh

Black Caps captain Tom Latham's fifth ODI century proved to be the difference in the second ODI against Bangladesh. Photo / Getty Images

In a match as loose as the proverbial goose, the cool head of Tom Latham kept New Zealand's unbeaten record at home against Bangladesh intact and led his side to an unprecedented sixth series win of an endless summer.

The Hagley Oval victory criss-crossed the clichéd sublime-ridiculous spectrum, and added a chunk of controversy, too.

It was fitting that in a mad-as-a-cut-snake match, straight-as-a-die Latham was the difference. His 110 at a smidge over a run-a-ball was his fifth century in ODIs.

On paper, a five-wicket win with 10 balls to spare looks comfy but there was a time there – 10.5 overs into the New Zealand chase to be exact – when the unthinkable was thought.

New Zealand could lose a match to Bangladesh at home.

So, the captain strode to the crease. Black Caps fans have become accustomed to ship-steadying innings from their skipper, but Latham is not the usual captain and 53-3 chasing 272 is not your usual coordinates when plotting a chase to beat Bangladesh.

He went to work, playing right back to the spinners or a few steps down the wicket – never from the crease. With Devon Conway (72) they consolidated and occasionally flourished, never letting the scoreboard add pressure.

They put on 113.They were on the verge of calm waters when Conway, spooked by playing out four dots in a row, hit one straight to mid-off and ran. He could have got there – but only if he transformed into Usain Bolt and the fielder was John Candy.

Devon Conway sweeps hard during his innings of 72 runs in the second ODI against Bangladesh. Photo / Photosport

What followed was farce. Jimmy Neesham was dropped a simple chance by keeper Mushfiqur Rahim; Latham an even easier return chance to the impressive Mahedi Hasan.

The first four balls of the next over went for four – most of them shouldn't have.

It was the final turning point in a game Google maps would have had no chance of tracking.

The chase started innocently enough with Martin Guptill continuing his clean-hitting revival until he nudged a leading edge.

Henry Nicholls and Will Young followed quickly playing equally poor shots to Hasan that saw their timbers disturbed.

It looked tricky but Conway and Latham were good, Latham and Neesham were lucky and Latham and Daryl Mitchell clinical.

Mahedi Hasan and teammates react to the wicket of Black Caps batsman Will Young. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand were chasing far more than they should have been. After a tight first half, Bangladesh were let off the leash through a combination of poor bowling from the allrounders and worse fielding.

Mohammad Mithun was the chief beneficiary, blazing 73 off 57 but it was the Bangladesh skipper making an impact earlier, in more ways than one.

Anger is energy. When it's flowing one way it makes for an interesting spectacle, when it's going both ways it is box-office gold.

Tamim Iqbal can be a prickly character; Kyle Jamieson's not immune to white-line fever.

Throw in a dash of Neesham and you have the ingredients for fireworks.

It kicked off properly when Tamim was on 34 and got a little bit early on a drive. In his follow through, the 2.03m Jamieson stooped to take a terrific catch.

The right-arm quick looked aggrieved when Tamim dallied. He looked mortally wounded when TV umpire Wayne Knights concurred.

If it went to a trial in front of cricket fans it would have ended in a hung jury. The catch was clean and obvious. The ball was not coming out of those bucket hands but it was used to break his fall.

The rules were followed, Tamim survived on a technicality, even if the game was a little less beautiful for it.

Kyle Jamieson celebrates the wicket of Tamim Iqbal - moments before the Bangladesh opener was given a reprieve by the TV umpire. Photo / Photosport

The drama didn't end there. As Jamieson seethed on the boundary, Tamim bunted the ball back to Neesham, this time on the bounce. The bowler was entitled to shy at the stumps but it was a suspiciously dreadful biff from a brilliant fielder. It hit Tamim flush on the far-from-funny bone.

He used the break in play to articulate to the umpires that he felt Neesham's actions were deliberate. Impossible to know, but the game, which had dawdled along, was alive.

Having survived in bizarre circumstances it was fitting that Tamim's 78 ended in ridiculous fashion. Neesham was the bowler again, and the fielder. Having been hopelessly inaccurate with three stumps to aim at Neesham was bang on target from side on with just one stump available – with his foot, of course.

Tamim would have left cursing the vagaries of cricket but he had set the foundation that was lacking in Dunedin.

With the help of some average bowling and sloppy fielding, Bangladesh set a target they must have felt they could defend.