Daily Cricket News

Bangladesh complete clean sweep

Rubel Hossain ripped through the New Zealand top order and then came back to nip out the final wicket in a tense finish as Bangladesh made it 4-0 in front of a delirious crowd in Mirpur. New Zealand's main batsmen again failed to deliver, slipping to 20 for 5 in what had seemed a straightforward chase after Bangladesh were bowled out for 174. Grant Elliott and Daniel Vettori then helped New Zealand claw back into the game with an 86-run stand and Kyle Mills exploited the batting Powerplay to push the visitors close. Eight runs were needed off the final over: the first ball was a waist-high full toss that was flicked for a boundary as the see-saw match tilted New Zealand's way. Rubel, though, kept his cool and delivered a pinpoint yorker to take out legstump and spark wild celebrations among his team-mates and the packed stands.

Bangladesh were bowled out for their lowest total of the series in the final ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur, leaving New Zealand well placed to avoid a humiliating clean sweep. The visitors made inroads early, dismissing the Bangladesh top four in the first 17 overs, and despite bowling a few loose deliveries, they came back to strangle the hosts during the middle period. Bangladesh's fragile lower order was exposed early and it failed to put up a fight.

Shahriar Nafees was the first to go for Bangladesh, perhaps unluckily, when an angled delivery from Andy McKay struck him in line with leg stump. Junaid Siddique followed soon after, playing across the line, only to see a leading edge balloon to Daniel Vettori at mid-off to leave the hosts at 30 for 2.

Imrul Kayes got a start once more at the top of the order and made use of some wayward New Zealand bowling during the mandatory Powerplay to keep the scoreboard ticking. Kayes even struck two terrific sixes off the pacemen over square leg, before the wily spin of Vettori had him trapped in front for 34.

Vettori had already snared the out-of-form Raqibul Hasan in his previous over and, along with Nathan McCullum, made runs tougher to come by for the Bangladesh batsmen, who had been scoring freely before the introduction of spin. Fast bowler Hamish Bennett also impressed in his second game, bowling tight lines during the middle period and helping to apply the squeeze on the hosts, who managed just five runs in a particularly parsimonious six-over patch between the 31st and 37th overs.

Allrounder Grant Elliott got in on the action as well, dismissing the in-form Shakib Al Hasan as well as Mushfiqur Rahim to end the only partnership that threatened to put Bangladesh in control of the game. Elliott's miserly spell effectively summed up New Zealand's bowling during the middle overs; his four overs costing just eight runs and yielding two valuable wickets for the visitors.

The Bangladesh tail didn't delay New Zealand's progress for long as Kyle Mills and Vettori came back to mop up the innings for 174. Mills also became the leading wicket-taker against Bangladesh in one-day internationals; his 3 for 36 of 8.2 overs taking him past Muttiah Muralitharan's previous record of 31 wickets

New Zealand's bowlers will feel they have given their side the best chance of coming away with a victory in this series, and Bangladesh will have to bowl and field extremely well to defend what is a meagre total, even on this low turning track.