New Zealand suffered one of their infamous meltdowns en route to handing the initiative to Bangladesh in the first one-day cricket international at Mirpur on Thursday.
The tourists posted 201 for nine as their unbeaten limited overs record against Bangladesh, stretching to 11 matches, was placed under threat at Sher-e Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Only some lower order resistance, led Jacob Oram’s 57, enabled the New Zealanders to post a total to defend, but even then it fell far short of the 239 which represents the average score at the match venue.
Having been invited to bat first in damp, overcast conditions, the New Zealanders appeared to have settled into their work as openers Jesse Ryder and a scratchy Brendon McCullum approached the 50 mark in good time.
But the top order then unravelled as the tourists lost five wickets for 18 runs to slump to 65 for five inside 17 overs.
The rescue act was undertaken by Oram and captain Daniel Vettori, with 30, as they collaborated for 70-run seventh-wicket stand and enabled the New Zealand team to bat out their overs.
Spirited seamer Mashrafe Mortaza did the initial damage, extracting just enough sideways movement to disconcert all of the batsmen, and McCullum in particular.
Mortaza ended with the best figures of four for 44 after conceding 14 runs in the last over while left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak took three for 32.
McCullum was all at sea in the early exchanges before opening his arms to strike three boundaries in as many deliveries.
But no sooner had he got going than McCullum was gone for 14, guiding Mortaza to Syed Rasel at deep third man.
Ryder, by contrast, looked at ease, taking up the challenge from Mortaza and fellow seamer Shahadat Hossain as he raced into the 30s at run-a-ball pace.
Having caused gentle left-armer Rasel to be removed from the attack, after coughing up 18 runs in two overs, the left-handed Ryder looked to dominate.
He took 10 runs off one over from Hossain, with a six behind square leg followed by another pull, this time to the fence in front of square.
Mortaza also took the short option against Ryder and it worked to his benefit when the batsman spooned him to mid wicket, after making 34 off 35 balls.
Mortaza then grabbed his third scalp, trapping Jamie How leg before wicket for seven, while Ross Taylor and Scott Styris also came and went at minimal cost to the Bangladeshis.
Taylor departed in soft fashion for two, offering an easy catch to mid off from the bowling of Hossain, then Styris fell leg before wicket for four to Razzak.
Daniel Flynn did not last long either before being caught at short mid wicket for six off Razzak, before Oram and Vettori gingerly set about rebuilding from the ruins at 79 for six after 21 overs.
Their cause was helped by the cloud cover retreating as they progressed with caution, reaching the 30-over mark with 99 runs on the board.
Oram looked to rotate the strike while Vettori was more aggressive, the combination working nicely as they raised their half-century partnership off 98 balls.
Oram started to up the ante, striking offspinner Shakib Al Hasan over long on for six in the 39th over, then hitting Naeem Islam down the ground along the turf for four more in the next.
The partnership ended shortly afterwards when Vettori top edged Al Hasan to fine leg, then Oram raised his half-century which came off 79 deliveries.
His 89-ball innings was terminated when he was caught near the long on fence but there was still time for teenager Tim Southee to swat 19 off 14 balls to edge his team past 200.
NZPA
