Bangladesh 309 for 6 (Shamsur 96, Naeem 63, Nasir 44*) beat New Zealand 307 for 5 (Taylor 107*, Munro 85) by four wickets
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Bangladesh banked on a string of partnerships and two fine knocks by
Shamsur Rahman and Naeem Islam, as they swept the ODI series 3-0 after
chasing 309 in the final over in Fatullah. The four-wicket win matched
the 2010 clean sweep at home, which New Zealand lost 4-0. This was also
Bangladesh's second successful chase of a target of 300 or above in ODIs.
The home side took full advantage of the new ODI rules that allow only
four fielders outside the 30-yard circle during the non Powerplay overs,
continually chipping the ball over the infield, and making sure they
used the shorter, straight boundaries. New Zealand's 307 for 5 was the
highest score at this ground at the innings break, but it wasn't enough
in the end. Ross Taylor shored up an inexperienced batting line-up with
his eighth hundred, but his efforts went in vain.
Mahmudullah and Nasir added 35 for the sixth wicket before Mahmudullah
was given out caught behind in the 48th over, although he wasn't fully
convinced and neither were the replays conclusive. A few dot balls
afterwards added to the tension among the near-capacity crowd but Nasir
released the pressure with a thump over midwicket at the end of the 48th
over, bringing down the chase to a run-a-ball.
Nasir kept his nerve, just as he did last year in the deciding fifth ODI
against West Indies in which he also guided Bangladesh to a close win.
Sohag Gazi completed the win with an upper-cut boundary off the second
ball of the last over.
Shamsur Rahman missed out on his maiden century, but his contribution,
particularly in the absence of the ill Tamim Iqbal, was valuable. He
started off briskly with Ziaur Rahman, as the new opening pair added 50
in the seventh over. Ziaur acted as a pinch-hitter, hammering two sixes
and two fours in his 22 before getting out in the eighth over.
But that didn't stop Shamsur from going after the bowlers, hammering
Mitchell McClenaghan for two sixes in one over. He and Mominul Haque
added another quick 65 runs in 11 overs to maintain the pace of the
chase. Mominul, however, fell to a soft dismissal to Anton Devcich, for
32 off 33.
The captain Mushfiqur Rahim however failed to contribute, pulling to
Taylor at square-leg for 2. But Naeem made sure there was no collapse as
he and Shamsur added 75, at more than five runs an over. Naeem matched
Shamsur with his timing, particularly through the off side as reached
his fifty off 53 balls. When Shamsur fell in the 35th over, Naeem
managed to put together another crucial half-century stand with Nasir
Hossain. New Zealand had an opening when Naeem was run out in the 43rd
over for 63 off 74 balls, but Nasir and Mahmudullah brought the equation
back in Bangladesh's favour.
Earlier it was Taylor's hundred that gave New Zealand much-needed
impetus, mainly in the last ten overs. After he had added 130 runs for
the fourth wicket with Colin Munro, he made sure he took full advantage
of Bangladesh's pace bowling in the slog overs, one of their biggest
weaknesses. In the last five overs, Bangladesh conceded 73 runs, after
they added just 25 between the 40th and 45th over.
Taylor blasted three sixes and nine fours in his 93-ball unbeaten 107,
his second hundred against Bangladesh and his second this year. It was
an innings that befitted the only experienced batsman in the line-up,
helping the team recover from 101 for 3. Secondly, he let Munro dominate
much of their partnership and only cut loose in the end overs. He was
severe on anything that was bowled on the stumps, playing his favoured
slog-sweep.
Munro forced Mushfiqur to think hard while setting fields. He mixed
conventional shots with reverse hits, one of which was a pulled six off
Abdur Razzak. Playing his first match on tour, but he showed little
signs of difficulty to adjust, as the others in his line-up have shown.
He cracked two sixes and seven fours in his 77-ball 85, the sort of
innings that one could have been expected from Brendon McCullum, who had
left the country to treat his sore back.
The openers Devcich and Tom Latham put on 66 in 13.2 overs before the
former fell to a poor shot. Devcich survived a chance in the sixth over
when he inside-edged a Sohag Gazi delivery past Mushfiqur. The
wicketkeeper made amends when he held on to the edge from Latham, who
scored 43.
Bangladesh's bowling was ordinary at times, particularly Sohag Gazi, who
was struck for three sixes in a row by Taylor in his last over, and
Mashrafe, who conceded 73 off his eight overs.
Despite that, there has been a marked difference in Bangladesh's
confidence and body language over the last four weeks. The batsmen have
stood up to the challenge of setting up totals and now they have
successfully chased a 300-plus total. This win alone should give them
more reason to think of themselves as genuine match-winners in one-day
cricket.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. He tweets here
Feeds: Mohammad Isam
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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