David Leggat: Urgent work needs to be done

Another Bangladesh tour has come and gone and how much the wiser are we about the state of New Zealand's game? In one sense not a lot; in another, quite a bit, actually.

When Bangladesh arrived, it was assumed that New Zealand would stroll through the five internationals of varying forms.

So it proved until the third and final ODI in Christchurch when Bangladesh opener Imrul Kayes hit a century and flaky New Zealand batting almost opened the door to an upset.

The test at Hamilton was expected to be Bangladesh's least likely opportunity to press their hosts.

Instead, they could have had New Zealand on the mat, had Martin Guptill's 189 been cut off at four, when a sharp caught-and-bowled chance went down.

The tourists' batting badly lacked discipline, but they showed up New Zealand's bowling as being well short of the mark.

New Zealand's batting was patchy, and the bowlers served up too much dross. There is a pile of work to do in the next few days to prepare for the visit by Australia.

The top order batting remains a work in progress. BJ Watling had a poor match in Hamilton, Peter Ingram wasted a wonderful opportunity to make an early test statement.after getting to 42 and looking confident, then fiddled about in the second innings on an easy-paced pitch when the situation was ideal for his forceful methods.

Tim McIntosh, involved in three run-outs in the second innings at Hamilton, including his own, at least had a long bat. Guptill and Brendon McCullum displayed an encouragingly smart, conscientious attitude to the job and were well rewarded.

The gulf between Bangladesh and Australia is as wide as it gets in the international game.

It's all very well for New Zealanders to grumble about seeing too much of Bangladesh, and not enough of, say South Africa or England.

New Zealand's position is not such that they can demand more frequent activity against the more moneyed, and successful nations. We are not that good right now and therefore have little appeal to those whose minds are preoccupied with making a buck.

And the big players rather prefer playing with themselves, so to speak. If England, Australia, India and South Africa had their way, cricket would be seen through a quadrangular lens with the odd sojourn - a funsy trip if you will - just to break the boredom and spread some lucre to the less fortunate.

But they have obligations, and that includes playing Bangladesh. Once upon a time it was New Zealand or Sri Lanka battling to find their way.

Cricket needs Bangladesh to improve. Hamilton, following a couple of decent performances against India last month, and two test wins in the Caribbean in July, suggests they are.

Their future is reliant on young men with passion and skill, like captain Shakib al Hasan, still only 22; opener Tamim Iqbal, 20, a thrilling if undisciplined shotmaker; sparky little wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim, 21, classy centurymaker Mahmudullah, the old man of this group at 24, and energetic fast-medium trio Shahadat Hossain (23), Shafiul Islam and Rubel Hossain (both 20).

Give them time, and encouragement. Now for Australia.