Kiwis canter past Tigers

Bangladesh's wait for an elusive win over New Zealand away from home was extended as they lost to the Kiwis by four wickets in their second tri-series match at the Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin yesterday. Having never beaten the Black Caps away from home or at a neutral venue, Bangladesh would have hoped they would eventually get one over the under-strength Black Caps yesterday, but a promising start wasted by a late batting collapse coupled with the inability to stifle the run chase eventually condemned the Tigers to their 21st defeat in 29 matches against the Black Caps.

New Zealand chased down Bangladesh's middling score of 257 for nine with four wickets in hand and 15 balls to spare.

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With two wins from two matches, the Kiwis are on top of the table with eight points while Bangladesh and Ireland have two points each, courtesy of the abandoned match between the two sides on May 12. Bangladesh will play their next match against Ireland at Malahide on Friday.

Chasing 258 for victory on a sluggish wicket, the Kiwis made a brisk start before Mustafizur Rahman got rid of Luke Ronchi, caught at mid-off off a slower delivery on the last ball of the seventh over. Then a fine piece of fielding from Sabbir Rahman had George Worker run out for 17 with the team score at 80 in the 17th over. But New Zealand skipper Tom Latham held firm at one end and brought up his fifty before falling to Rubel Hossain for 54 as New Zealand moved to 110 for three in the 21st over.

While the Kiwis had trouble dealing with Mustafizur's guile and Rubel's pace, giving two wickets each to the two pacers, it was the lacklustre effort from the other frontline bowlers that helped New Zealand coast to the victory target.

Earlier, after losing the toss and being asked to bat first, Bangladesh made a brisk start to their innings and built an opening stand of 71. And despite three batsmen hitting half-centuries, Bangladesh's innings fizzled out in the latter stages as they managed just 67 runs for the loss of five wickets in the last 10 overs.

Opener Soumya Sarkar scored his first fifty after seven innings while fellow opener Tamim Iqbal exercised caution in reaching 23 off 42 balls before hitting a Jimmy Neesham delivery straight down the throat of deep cover.  Sabbir Rahman did not last long, a straighter delivery from Mitchell Santner sneaking through to rattle his stumps in the 17th over.

The second half-centurion, Mushfiqur Rahim, joined Soumya and the two batsmen put on 38 runs for the third wicket. Soumya reached his half-century off 53 balls in the 16th over, having hit four boundaries.  He could add only one more however, as he was out top-edging a sweep off Ish Sodhi in the 25th over.

But by then, Mushfiqur had taken over. He announced his intentions soon after arriving at the crease with a straight six off Seth Rance off the 13th delivery he faced. Shakib, however, lasted just 13 balls for six runs before chipping the 14th, delivered by Sodhi, to wide long off.

Mahmudullah Riyad continued his resurgence, with his arrival in the 29th over with the score on 132 coinciding with a drop in New Zealand's bowling and fielding standards. Sodhi and Santner started dropping short, and Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah took full toll of those deliveries as they added 49 in 8.3 overs. Mushfiqur reached his 50 off his 60th delivery. At 181 for four in the 38th over, Bangladesh looked like reaching 300, but Mushfiqur departed for a 66-ball 55, edging a Neesham delivery to the keeper.

Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain carried the score to 242 in the 48th over, but they took 10.1 overs to get there as New Zealand rallied in the end. Mahmudullah departed for a 56-ball 51 top-edging a pull off Hamish Bennett, and Mosaddek scooped one to fine leg in the last over for a run-a-ball 41 off the same bowler. Mehedi Hasan departed the same way as Mahmudullah before skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was run out as Bangladesh scored just 17 runs for four wickets in the last three overs.