NZ Win Series

New Zealand gave Bangladesh a cricketing lesson today at McLean Park, smashing 335-5 and then winning on the D/L method by 102 runs with the visitors 181-6 after 43 overs.

All Black Captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and chose to bat on what looked like a run rich pitch. Jamie How and Brendon McCullum were cruising, scoring at a comfortable five runs an over before the wicket keeper was run out for 35 (82-1 off 13 overs).

Peter Fulton then Joined How and both batsmen upped the tempo bringing up the New Zealand 100 off just 17 overs, before How played an unnecessary improvised shot and was trapped LBW for 74 from the bowling of Abdur Razzak, just when a century seemed there for the taking (147-2 off 24 overs).

Scott Styris then joined in the carnage scoring a quick 41 (44 balls) before being caught from the bowling of Farhad Reza. When Fulton fell for an elegant 83, Bangladesh seemed to be fighting back with the home team 246-4 from 42 overs.

Unfortunately for the visitors young tyro Ross Taylor 34* from just 24 balls and the big hitting Jacob Oram 55 from only 36 balls including four huge sixes, lifted the All Blacks to the imposing total of 335-5.

After what in the circumstances was a decent but slow start (60-0 from 12 overs), the Bangladesh challenge was then completely derailed by Kyle Mills who claimed three quick wickets to reduce the visitors to 68-3.

Aftab Ahmed (54 from 78 balls) and Tushar Imran (22 from 42 balls) then appeared to decide to fight the game out but to give up any real pretensions of victory. The rain came and mercifully put an end to this one sided match.

New Zealand 335-5
Jamie How 74, Peter Fulton 83

Bangladesh 181-6
Aftab Ahmed 54, Tamim Iqbal 43

Kyle Mills 4-40, Daniel Vettori 2-30

Cricket Web Man of The Match = Peter Fulton