NZ seal series with match to spare 

Source: PhotosportPeter Ingram

An air of predictability hung above University Oval as Ross Taylor ensured New Zealand again made short work of Bangladesh to seal the one-day cricket series here on Monday.

The hosts ran down an Bangladesh's inadequate 183 for eight in with five wickets and more than 22 overs up their sleeves, in the process securing the series 2-0 with a dead match to come in Christchurch on Thursday.

Full scorecard here

The Black Caps, who caned the tourists by 146 runs in the first match, were steered to their target by Taylor, who was in vintage touch in scoring 78 off 51 deliveries, including six fours and five sixes.

Dropped on 18, he reached his second consecutive half-century with successive sixes down the ground off offspinner Naeem Islam, needing just 36 deliveries to tick off that minor landmark.

He fell with victory in sight when holing out to deep mid wicket, leaving skipper Dan Vettori to strike the winning runs.

Ranked fourth on the International Cricket Council standings compared to Bangladesh's ninth, New Zealand were always expected to dominate this series.

New Zealand's chase did not start too well after opener Brendon McCullum chopped a ball on to his stumps in the second over, his second failure in as many outings, before Martin Guptill arrived at the crease looking a million dollars.

Hitting the ball hard and into the gaps, Guptill quickly helped himself to three fours then smacked Shafiul Islam down the ground for six. He had raced to 32 before losing his middle stumps to a peach of a delivery from Bangladesh's fastest bowler Rubel Hossain.

Opener Peter Ingram was out of sorts but hung about as Taylor raised the team's hundred in the 18th over after he was dropped by Mohammad Ashraful off left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan.

But Ingram, who scratched around in making 28, was out to the very next ball when he top-edged an attempted pull off Shafiul.

Ascendancy

Taylor immediately regained the ascendancy, celebrating his letoff by collecting 17 off that same over, including a cut for four and pull for six from successive balls.

Earlier, Bangladesh's blushes were spared by a fighting seventh wicket stand of 101 between Mushfiqur Rahim and Naeem Islam, who resurrected their innings which had been in tatters at 25 for five.

The diminutive Rahim, 21 and with four earlier one-day half-centuries to his name, led the rearguard action with an innings of character, punctuated by seven fours and three sixes.

He had come to the crease with his team in a hopeless position after left-arm fast bowler Andy McKay unsettled the tourists with an impressive display of pace bowling.

Short, sharp and accurate, McKay, 29 and in just his second one-day international, took two of the early wicket to fall during an opening spell of seven overs, and finished with figures of two for 17 off his full complement of 10.

He bounced opener Tamim Iqbal, who edged behind and began walking before the umpire raised his finger, then undid captain Al Hasan with a swift yorker.

While Imrul Kayes needlessly ran himself out, Daryl Tuffey and Ian Butler chipped in to remove Mohammad Ashraful and Aftad Ahmed and Bangladesh found themselves in dire straits.

But Rahim and Naeem, who joined forces in the 23rd over with Bangladesh at 46 for six, blunted then frustrated the New Zealand bowlers before hitting out to good affect in the latter stages as 113 runs flowed in the closing 15 overs.

Rahim took 88 deliveries to reach his 50, raising the milestone with the first of his three sixes, a lofted on drive off Daryl Tuffey.But he required just another 19 balls to add the next 36 as he and
Naeem, who played his part with 43, at least gave their bowlers a target to defend.

Rahim's fine innings only ended in the last over as the slog was on, fast bowler Ian Butler being the beneficiary to finish with three for 45.

Bangladesh made a conscious effort to keep spinner Daniel Vettori at bay, taking a very cautious approach to New Zealand's best bowler, who gave up just 25 runs from his full allotment of 10 overs.