Photo galleryKEY POINTS:
ST JOHN'S, Antigua - New Zealand recorded their fifth straight World Cup victory this morning after bowling Bangladesh out for 174.
In reply, the Black Caps chased down the total for the loss of just one wicket, with Stephen Fleming claiming an unbeaten century with some big shots.
Hamish Marshall hit the winning runs with a six to get his 50.
The victory allowed New Zealand to join Australia at the top of the Super Eights points ladder on six, though the defending world champions have a superior run rate.
The Black Caps' nine-wicket win -- completed in just 29.2 overs -- will also boost their net run-rate should they need to rely on that to make the semifinals.
Fleming and Marshall completed formalities with ease, the only doubt concerning whether they could knock off their respective milestones.
The skipper's 10th boundary allowed him to pass the century mark while he also clubbed three sixes in an assured 92-ball innings.
Marshall, who arrived at the crease at 44 for one in the 10th over after Peter Fulton (15) chipped out at mid-on, survived a run out scare on two and a dropped chance on 13 before knuckling down to log some valuable time in the middle. He arrived last week as a replacement for injured opener Lou Vincent.
Despite contending without Michael Mason and James Franklin for the majority of the innings, New Zealand's ability to react to adversity was again amply illustrated as Scott Styris, Jacob Oram and Shane Bond combined to ensure Bangladesh were not given any leeway to take advantage of the missing seamers.
Another polished fielding display -- highlighted by a smart stumping by Brendon McCullum and a Oram direct hit from deep point -- complemented a stifling bowling unit that chipped out wickets at regular intervals.
Mason pulled up with a calf strain after delivering his ninth ball though it was not considered serious and he was able to run refreshments on to the field for the remainder of the Bangladeshi innings.
Franklin retreated after bowling six overs for 27, complaining of a migraine and although he could have returned late in the innings management opted to rest him.
The left armer's withdrawal enabled Mark Gillespie to finally tread on to the playing arena for the first time and he made the most of his involvement pouching two catches in the outfield.
After losing by 10 wickets in a weather-reduced 22-over slugfest against Australia on Saturday (SunNZT), Bangladesh's inadequacies were again exposed -- this time over their regulation 50 overs as they struggled to post a defendable total after Stephen Fleming won the toss and followed the trend of fielding first.
Javed Omar and Tamim Iqbal combined to make a sedate 55 for the opening wicket -- and Bangladesh meandering cautiously along at 105 for two in the 29th over -- before Styris (four for 41), Oram (three for 30) and Bond (two for 15 off 10) initiated a collapse that saw seven wickets tumble for the addition of just 35 runs.
Bond continued his exemplary bowling performance, conceding just a run per over from his first five before returning to instantly effect a double breakthrough as Bangladesh slumped to 127 for six.
The paceman skittled Saqibul Hasan with his first ball before removing Mushfiqur Rahim in identical fashion, five balls later.
Styris chimed in with the wickets of in-form duo Mohammad Ashraful (9) and Mashrafe Mortaza (2) plus tailender Abdur Razzak (0) to have Bangladesh listing at 140 for nine in the 43rd over.
Just as an early finish seemed imminent, Mohammad Rafique and to a lesser extent Syed Rasal, added a stubborn 34 for the final wicket before Oram wrapped up the innings by bowling Rasal halfway through the penultimate over.
Rafique top scored with a breezy unbeaten 30 of 36 balls which included two sixes.
Iqbal, next best with 29, was the first wicket to fall when he fell off balance attempting to paddle Oram to third man offering McCullum a slick stumping opportunity.
Unsurprisingly New Zealand named an unchanged side from the line-up that beat the West Indies by seven wickets here on Thursday.
The team departs for Guyana tomorrow where they play surprise qualifiers Ireland next Tues NZ time.
SCOREBOARD
Bangladesh
J Omar c McCullum b Oram 22
T Iqbal std McCullum b Oram 29
A Ahmed c sub (Gillespie) b Styris 27
S Hasan b Bond 25
H Bashar run out (Oram) 9
M Ashraful b Styris 5
M Rahim b Bond 0
M Mortaza b Styris 2
M Rafique not out 30
A Razzak c sub (Gillespie) b Styris 0
S Rasal b Oram 10
Extras (b5, 10lb, 2w) 17
Total (all out, 48.3 overs) 174
Fall: 55 (Iqbal), 62 (Omar), 105 (Ahmed), 122 (Bashar), 127 (Hasan), 127 (Rahim), 129 (Ashraful), 140 (Mortaza), 140 (Razzak), 174 (Rasal)
Bowling: M Mason 1.3-1-4-0, S Bond 10-4-15-2, C McMillan 1.3-0-6-0, J Franklin 6-1-27-0, J Oram 9.3-0-30-3 (1w), D Vettori 10-0-34-0 (1w), S Styris 10-1-43-4.
New Zealand
P Fulton c Tamim Iqbal b Syed Rasel 15
S Fleming not out 102
H Marshall not out 50
Extras (w-11) 11
Total (1 wicket, 29.2 overs) 178
Fall of wickets: 1-44
Bowling: Mashrafe Mortaza 6-0-41-0, Syed Rasel 7-0-22-1, Abdur Razzak 8-0-38-0, Mohammad Rafique 5-0-37-0, Saqibul Hasan 3-0-33-0; Mohammad Ashraful 0.2 0 7 0
Result: New Zealand win by nine wickets
Man of the match: Shane Bond
- NZPA, NZHERALD STAFF
