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Blackcaps' top order waltz to 7-wicket victory to clinch Bangladesh ODI series
Logan Swinkels • December 20th, 2023 6:39 pm
The Blackcaps’ top order has made light work of chasing down 292 to win the second one-day international against Bangladesh by 7 wickets, securing the series win at Nelson’s Saxton Oval ahead of Saturday’s third match.
New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to field first – the only change in their starting XI had Ish Sodhi making way for Adi Ashok’s ODI debut.
After the frustrating stop-start nature of the first ODI due to Dunedin’s passing showers, it was refreshing to see Nelson putting on a beautiful day to allow for uninterrupted play as international cricket returned to Saxton Oval.
The first breakthrough for the Blackcaps’ bowling attack came in fifth over when opener Anamul Haque (2) edged Adam Milne’s delivery through to Latham in the slip cordon. The NZ skipper was confident he had taken the catch cleanly as the ball came close to touching the ground, backed up by a lengthy third umpire review.
Bangladesh opener Soumya Sarkar watched as the wickets continued to fall in the first ten overs – his captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (6) was dismissed by Jacob Duffy, who grabbed a double claiming the wicket of Litton Das (6). By the ten over mark, the visitors were 44/3.
Whether you call it a stroke of bad luck for the Bangladesh batters, or a stroke of genius by Josh Clarkson, the Blackcaps’ pace bowler got a touch on the ball when Soumya smashed it towards the bowler’s end in the 17th over. Towhid Hridoy (12) was run out, ending the brief 36-run fourth wicket partnership that was looking to steady the Tigers’ shaky innings.
Soumya found greater stability with his next batting partner, building a platform that looked set to explode if it were able to continue. Mushfiqur Rahim (45) found the boundary rope five times during his 57-ball stint before Duffy grabbed another, caught behind by Tom Blundell. Mehidy Hasan Miraz added 19 before becoming the first-ever to fall victim to the wrist spin of Ashok.
Almost seeing the innings through from start to finish, Soumya bowed out on 169 from 150 deliveries in the 50th over. His total is now the second highest individual score by a Bangladesh batter in ODI cricket, seven behind equaling Liton Das’ 176 versus Zimbabwe.
That final over had recent debutant Will O’Rourke at his destructive best finishing with figures of 3/47, taking those three wickets in the space of five deliveries. With Rishad Hossain (6) and Hasan Mahmud (0) dismissed, Bangladesh was all out for 291 with a ball to spare.
Blackcaps openers Will Young and Rachin Ravindra started the chase at a slow and steady pace, before reaching a run a ball ten overs in. Ravindra, New Zealand’s star of the recent World Cup, looked to show those skills at home but was caught searching for another boundary – a great catch at deep midwicket by Rishad Hossain seemingly robbed the young Kiwi of hitting a six to bring up the half-century, out on 45 off 33 balls.
128 further runs were scored before the second wicket fell, Young brought up his eighth ODI half-century before being caught and bowled Hasan Mahmud on 89. It was an impressive showing for the opening batter, including eight fours and two sixes, backing up his composed 105 in the first ODI.
One player under fire by Kiwi cricket fans is Henry Nicholls. While opinions circulate calling for his place in the starting XI to be given to someone else, Blackcaps coach Gary Stead has shown a great level of commitment to his usual No. 3 batter, and at least for Wednesday’s match, that stance paid off.
Nicholls appeared to be well on his way to his second ODI century but on 95, the 32-year-old followed up a beautiful chip shot for four off Shoriful Islam’s bowling by hitting the ball into the hands of Rishad, his second catch of the match deep in the outfield. Nicholls’ first and last century came in January 2019 when he scored 124 not out against Sri Lanka.
With five overs remaining, New Zealand needed just eight runs to win. With Bangladesh’s field up, Tom Blundell cleared the ropes for six to reach the target in style, finishing on 24 not out, alongside Latham on 34 not out.
The Blackcaps’ ODI series with Bangladesh wraps up Saturday at Napier’s McLean Park before a brief Christmas break ahead of their three-match T20I series series beginning December 27.
Catch live ball-by-ball commentary of the Blackcaps on SENZ, tune in from 10.30am Saturday – available on the SENZ app and all local frequencies.
