Tim Southee claimed a fine six-for as New Zealand put in another all-round performance on Wednesday, 20 February in Dunedin to seal the one-day international series 3-0 against Bangladesh.
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Bangladesh managed to stop Martin Guptill (29) this time, but half-centuries from all of Henry Nicholls (64 off 74), Ross Taylor (69 off 82) and Tom Latham (59 off 51) helped them post a daunting 330/6.
In their chase, Bangladesh never looked likely to topple that score, with Southee’s breath-taking early spell reducing them to 2/3. Rahman scored a valiant century – having been dropped on nought – but with little support from the other end, it went in vain.
NEW ZEALAND SWEEP SERIES 3-0
A brilliant 6/65 for Tim Southee, to go with a run-out. The paceman wraps up the Bangladesh innings, and New Zealand win the final ODI by 88 runs.#NZvBAN SCORECARD ⬇️https://t.co/crmF5y8m8Hpic.twitter.com/BAzNYNBUQS
— ICC (@ICC) February 20, 2019
The series victory took New Zealand to No.3 on the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings.
Put in to bat, Bangladesh would have been relieved to see the back of Guptill relatively early – he had scored centuries in the first two ODIs, but was dismissed in the 12th over here for a steady 40-ball 29 by Mohammad Saifuddin. That, combined with Colin Munro’s failure at the top – he scored a 7-ball 8 – in the fifth over meant New Zealand were 59/2.
That was as good as it got for Bangladesh, though. Nicholls, coming in at one-drop this time, having opened in Napier and Christchurch, teamed up with the irresistible Taylor, and their 92-run stand pegged Bangladesh back.
Congrats to @RossLTaylor on yet another milestone in International Cricket. A career which continues to raise the bar for ??. Well done mate ?
— Brendon McCullum (@Bazmccullum) February 20, 2019
It wasn’t a gung-ho partnership by any means – their priority seemed to be accumulation – but by the time Nicholls holed out and the stand was broken, he had already brought up his eighth ODI half-century.
There was no reprieve for Bangladesh thereafter, as Latham came in and was aggressive from the outset. He supported Taylor in a 55-run stand, and their association took New Zealand past the 200-run mark. Taylor was dismissed shortly thereafter, offering an easy catch to deep mid-wicket, but only after he had become the highest scorer in the format for New Zealand.
In the final ten overs, all of Latham, Jimmy Neesham (37 off 24), Colin de Grandhomme (37* off 15), and Mitchell Santner (16* off 8) freed their hands. Latham brought up his 13th half-century in the format, and New Zealand added 59 runs in the last five overs.
Ross Taylor has now scored more ODI runs for New Zealand than any other. He passed Stephen Fleming’s mark of 8,007 during his 64 against Bangladesh.
But he was dismissed an agonising 12 runs shy of breaking another of Fleming’s records…#NZvBAN READ ?https://t.co/VIE0WYrHTApic.twitter.com/iIoERJkOMd
— ICC (@ICC) February 20, 2019
Bangladesh’s prospects didn’t look too good the way they began the chase. They just couldn’t handle Southee and his variations. He had both Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar dismissed in the very first over, and in his next, trapped Liton Das in front for 1.
Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah looked to revive things with a 38-run stand, but Trent Boult got into the act, prompting a flick from Rahim that was caught in the deep. Mahmudullah fell five overs later to de Grandhomme to leave Bangladesh reeling at 61/5.
That should have been six when Rahman, on nought, looked to pull a length ball Southee, but Lockie Ferguson fumbled a straightforward chance in the deep. What followed was frustration for New Zealand, as Rahman fought back.
100!Sabbir Rahman brings up his maiden hundred in ODIs.#BANvNZ#RiseOfTheTigerspic.twitter.com/gnSfNCOiUM
— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) February 20, 2019
He took a few blows, but stood up to a short-ball barrage, and commendably, found the fence when needed. There was support, for a while, from Saifuddin (44 off 63) and the two ensured Bangladesh didn’t go down without a fight.
They added 101 for the sixth wicket. The stand was broken, finally, when Boult had Saifuddin caught at mid-wicket with a mistimed shot. Mashrafe Mortaza, the captain, then lasted just three balls, but Mehidy Hasan Miraz provided the support in a 67-run stand as Rahman brought up his maiden ODI century.
But it was all too little too late. Rahman was the last Bangladesh batsman to be dismissed, after 47.2 overs, when Southee forced a miscue.
