Kohli, Dhoni saved the day

India survived a mini collapse to sweep the series against a fighting New Zealand with a five-wicket victory on the penultimate day of the second and final Test in Bangalore on Monday.
The hosts slipped from 152-2 to 166-5 before achieving their 261-run target in the final session, thanks to a 96-run stand between man-of-the-match Virat Kohli (51 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (48 not out) under pressure.
India won the opening Test by an innings and 115 runs in Hyderabad.
New Zealand fought well as they twice neutralised India’s advantage to storm back into the match on a good pitch before Dhoni and Kohli steered their team home, much to the delight of the nearly 15,000 spectators.
The Indian captain finished the match with a six over mid-wicket off off-spinner Jeetan Patel, who took three wickets. Dhoni hit two sixes and three fours, while Kohli cracked nine fours.
‘Virat’s batting was superb. He fought well and soaked up the pressure. We all knew that after 40-45 overs it would easier,’ said Dhoni.
‘The spinners bowled brilliantly and the catching was good.’
India were 77 without loss after brisk knocks from Virender Sehwag (38) and Gautam Gambhir (34) and then 152-2 following a 69-run stand between Cheteshwar Pujara (48) and Sachin Tendulkar (27) before New Zealand struck back.
The tourists came back strongly after tea, which was taken early due to rain, as they dismissed well-set Pujara, Tendulkar and Suresh Raina (0) in the space of 14 runs.
The 39-year-old Tendulkar was bowled for a third successive innings in the series, this time by fast bowler Tim Southee, after hitting five fours in his 34-ball knock.
The world’s leading scorer in both Test and one-day cricket with an unprecedented 100 international centuries, Tendulkar finished the series without a half-century in three innings.
‘We had our chances and showed character to come back from a terrible Test in Hyderabad. We came with some standards we wanted to maintain, which we did in patches,’ said New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor.
‘They way Kohli and Dhoni batted was outstanding.’
Patel had Pujara caught by Daniel Flynn, who ran backwards from forward short-leg to take a superb diving catch, and then bowled Raina.
Tendulkar and Pujara steadied the innings after Sehwag and Gambhir had fallen in the morning in the space of six runs.
Pujara, who scored a solid 159 in the first Test, was on 37 when he survived a stumping chance off Patel as wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum failed to collect the ball.
McCullum kept wicket in place of Kruger van Wyk, who was injured after being struck on the arm by a delivery from paceman Umesh Yadav while batting on Sunday.
The New Zealand skipper pressed Patel into the attack in the 12th over after pacemen Trent Boult, Southee and Doug Bracewell had failed to provide the breakthrough in overcast conditions.
Sehwag lofted Patel over long-off, the first six of the innings, and then cut him for a four before falling in the same over. He stepped out to try another big shot, but missed the line and was bowled.
He smashed one six and seven fours in his 33-ball knock.
Gambhir went for his shots early in the innings, hitting Boult and Bracewell each for two successive fours before falling to a loose shot.
He was caught by Taylor at first slip off Boult after hitting seven fours in his 58-ball knock.
New Zealand were earlier bowled out for 248 in their second innings, adding 16 runs to their overnight total of 232-9.
Patel (22), the last man out, looked unhappy with the decision when given caught behind off left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan, as the TV replays suggested he had missed the ball.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin finished with 5-69, his third five-wicket haul in four innings against New Zealand. He was named man of the series.
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Ravichandran Ashwin took 6 wickets

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took a career-best 6-31 to put India in firm command on a rain-hit third day of the opening Test against New Zealand in Hyderabad on Saturday.
The 25-year-old was superbly backed by left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha (3-44) as New Zealand were dismissed for 159 in their first innings at the stroke of lunch in reply to India’s 438.
The hosts, who enforced the follow-on after taking a 279-run lead, reduced New Zealand to 41-1 in the second innings at stumps on a day when only 37.3 overs were bowled.

Tigers take 2-0 lead

Bangladesh won two successive ODIs against a major opposition for the first time in history as they thrashed New Zealand by seven wickets on Monday.

Shahriar Nafees put on 127 runs for the opening stand with Imrul Kayes after the hosts' spinners had dismissed lackluster New Zealand for 173 at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur.

Nafees hammered a swashbuckling run-a-ball 73 including 13 fours while Kayes stroked a fine 50 off 83 balls, inclusive of four boundaries. The hosts' spinners had earlier dismissed New Zealand for 173 at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur.

Nafees hammered a swashbuckling run-a-ball 73 including 13 fours while Kayes stroked a fine 50 off 83 balls, inclusive of four boundaries, as the Tigers made 177 for 3 in 42.5 overs.


Nafees got himself out trying to up the tempo as he came down the track to drive Nathan McCullum inside out, only to hole out to his brother Brendan in the 25th over. One over later, Kayes gave Nathan his second wicket in a similar fashion, scooping to Grant Elliott.

Raqibul Hasan was unbeaten on 18 and Shakib Al Hasan on 13. Junaid Siddique made 14.

The second game of the five-match series was washed out on Oct 8 while Shakib Al Hasan's match-winning performance on Oct 5 drove the hosts to take a 1-0 lead.

Earlier, Bangladesh's slow bowlers took eight wickets between them to take the match in their grip. The Kiwis were reduced to 101 for 7, before Kyle Mills and Ross Taylor raised the total to give their bowlers something to bowl at.

Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and chose to field, and brought the spinners into the game early, having let the two seamers bowl eight overs between them. Shafiul Islam had removed the dangerous Brendon McCullum in the first over of the match, but Jesse Ryder and BJ Watling built a good foundation.

The introduction of the trio of left-arm spinners put brakes on the New Zealand run-rate. Watling soon fell attempting to hit over mid-on in the 14th over. Ryder also departed soon after, holing out to deep midwicket for 33, to give Suhrawadi Shuvo his first wicket of the match. Grant Elliott was then bowled by a superb Shakib delivery that broke sharply.

Taylor, who eventually remained unbeaten on 62, attempted to rebuild, first with Daniel Vettori (9), and then with Shanan Stewart, both oof whom perished cheaply. But he combined with tailender Mills in an explosive 72-run partnership. He slammed three sixes and two fours to bring up his fifty in 66 deliveries.

After the fielding restrictions came into play in the 37th over, a Rubel Hossain over leaked 17, one from Abdur Razzaq cost 13. Kyle Mills hit two huge straight sixes off Shakib.

Suhrawardy Shuvo was the pick of the bowlers with his incisive, economic spell of 3 for 14 in 10 overs. He was backed up by Shakib with two for 45 and Mahmudullah, 2 for six.

India crashed by Kiwis

India crashed to a humiliating 200-run defeat in the first match of the triangular ODI series against New Zealand with a pathetic bowling and batting display on Tuesday.

After the Kiwis put up a competitive 288 on the board, riding on skipper Ross Taylor (95) and Scott Styris (89), India suffered an inexplicable batting collapse to bundle out for a paltry 88 in just 29.3 overs, reports PTI.

In what turned out to be a totally lop-sided contest, only three Indian batsmen could score double figures as the Kiwis ripped through the young batting line-up to launch their campaign on a high.

It was a commanding show by the New Zealanders who relied on a 190-run stand for the fourth wicket between Taylor and Styris before Daryl Tuffey (3-34) and Kyle Mills (2-26) and Jacob Oram (2-15) shot out India to complete a convincing win.

Chasing 289 to win, openers Dinesh Karthik (14) and Virender Sehwag (19) made a watchful start but New Zealand struck twice in as many deliveries to get rid of the openers and reduce India to 39 for two in 7.1 overs.

Sehwag was the first to go when he failed to negotiate a short ball aimed at his body by Mills as the ball kissed his glove and landed safely at wicketkeeper Gerath Hopkins' hands.

Karthik then followed suit when he played Tuffey's delivery down the wrong line and missed the ball, which struck on his pads in front of the wicket.

Rohit Sharma (4) then joined Yuvraj Singh (5) but the former was sent packing in the 10th over by Tuffey and two overs later New Zealand dealt India another blow, removing Suresh Raina to leave India tottering at 50-4 in 11.2 overs.

Sharma, brought in to bolster the middle order, ended up giving catching practice to first slip of Tuffey's outside off-stump delivery.

Raina also followed his partner and edged one straight to second slip to award Tuffey his third wicket of the day.

The 32-year-old seamer came to haunt India again in the 14th over when his direct throw found skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni short of wicket as India looked down the barrel at 53-5.

Yuvraj and Ravindra Jadeja tried to stem the rot but Andy Mckay removed the former in the 17th over and eight balls later Praveen Kumar was also sent packing by Jacob Oram as India stared at an impending defeat.

Earlier, New Zealand had a disastrous start, collapsing to 28 for three in 6.5 overs but Taylor (95) and Styris (89) rescued the innings and helped New Zealand to reach 288 in 48.5 overs.

New-ball bowlers Praveen Kumar (3-43) and Ashish Nehra (4-47) shared seven wickets between them to strangle the New Zealand top and lower order and helped India bowl out their rivals inside 300.

The triangular series continues on Aug 13 when New Zealand take on hosts Sri Lanka at the same venue.

Bangladesh go down against Kiwis in the practice match

The Tigers began their preparation for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup with a four-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the first unofficial warm-up match at Wormsley Cricket Ground in Buckinghamshire, England on Tuesday.

Martin Guptill fired 61 to propel the Kiwis to 147-6 with five overs to spare after Bangladesh were restricted to 146-6 in their stipulated 20 overs.

Guptill was well supported by Peter McGlashan, who made 35. N McCullam was 14 not out as Mohammad Ashraful and Mahmudullah Riad took one wicket each.

Earlier, Bangladesh, who won the toss, made a modest total riding on a 43-run knock from middle-order batsman Raid.

Shakib Al Hasan followed him to make 35, according to TigerCricket.com, the official website of the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

Left-handed opener Tamim was the third highest scorer with 19 while captain Mohammad Ashraful and Mashrafee Bin Mortaza made 17 and 15 respectively.

Naeem Islam was 11 not out while Junaed Siddique and Mushfiqur Rahim scored three and one.

2nd Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 5th Day

The BLACKCAPS have won the two test series in Bangladesh 1-0 after the rain-affected second test petered out to a draw at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.

The tourists’ slim hopes of forcing a result lay with forcing the hosts to follow on but the Tigers got past the target of 163 safely, albeit with nine wickets down.

From then on the match was effectively over with only hope for a result being a calamitous batting display second time around from the BLACKCAPS.

But that was not to be despite the early loss of Jamie How (8) who failed to latch on to a pull shot and spooned a ball from Mashrafe Mortaza and was caught by Abdur Razzak at mid on.

However, Aaron Redmond (30 not out) and Jesse Ryder (39 not out) ensured that was not the case to finish on 79-1 when the tedium was brought to a premature end.

Bangladesh had earlier declared on 169 for nine, in reply to the BLACKCAPS’ first innings total of 262 for six declared, after resuming on a precarious 13 for three.

Bangladesh had to overcome a fine bowling display from opposing skipper Daniel Vettori to narrowly avoid being forced to follow on.

Spinner Vettori finished with figures of 5-66, his 19th five-wicket haul in tests, and Iain O'Brien chipped in with three victims for 31 as Bangladesh limped past the target.

All-rounder Skahib Al Hasan (49) and Mashrafe Mortaza (48) provided the bulk of the runs for the home side and shared in a 78-run stand for the seventh wicket to see the Tigers to safety.

Earlier, spinner Jeetan Patel secured the day's first breakthrough, trapping Mehrab Hossain (7) leg before wicket, Vettori got rid of opener Tamim Iqbal and pace bowler O'Brien had Mushfiqur Rahim (7) caught behind by BrendonMcCullum.

After lunch the hosts adopted an aggressive approach to add 65 runs in 10.1 overs but Vettori denied Shakib a test fifty by trapping him leg before to give the spinner his fifth victim. Mortaza adopted the long handle but he had a reprieve when the third umpire ruled a catch had not carried to Ryder in the gully.

The unlucky bowler was O’Brien, but he eventually got his man when Daniel Flynn held a chance in at short leg and he also claimed Shahadat Hossain cheaply to force the declaration.

Vettori was named man of the match and man of the series.

2nd Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 5th Day

The BLACKCAPS have won the two test series in Bangladesh 1-0 after the rain-affected second test petered out to a draw at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.

The tourists’ slim hopes of forcing a result lay with forcing the hosts to follow on but the Tigers got past the target of 163 safely, albeit with nine wickets down.

From then on the match was effectively over with only hope for a result being a calamitous batting display second time around from the BLACKCAPS.

But that was not to be despite the early loss of Jamie How (8) who failed to latch on to a pull shot and spooned a ball from Mashrafe Mortaza and was caught by Abdur Razzak at mid on.

However, Aaron Redmond (30 not out) and Jesse Ryder (39 not out) ensured that was not the case to finish on 79-1 when the tedium was brought to a premature end.

Bangladesh had earlier declared on 169 for nine, in reply to the BLACKCAPS’ first innings total of 262 for six declared, after resuming on a precarious 13 for three.

Bangladesh had to overcome a fine bowling display from opposing skipper Daniel Vettori to narrowly avoid being forced to follow on.

Spinner Vettori finished with figures of 5-66, his 19th five-wicket haul in tests, and Iain O'Brien chipped in with three victims for 31 as Bangladesh limped past the target.

All-rounder Skahib Al Hasan (49) and Mashrafe Mortaza (48) provided the bulk of the runs for the home side and shared in a 78-run stand for the seventh wicket to see the Tigers to safety.

Earlier, spinner Jeetan Patel secured the day's first breakthrough, trapping Mehrab Hossain (7) leg before wicket, Vettori got rid of opener Tamim Iqbal and pace bowler O'Brien had Mushfiqur Rahim (7) caught behind by BrendonMcCullum.

After lunch the hosts adopted an aggressive approach to add 65 runs in 10.1 overs but Vettori denied Shakib a test fifty by trapping him leg before to give the spinner his fifth victim. Mortaza adopted the long handle but he had a reprieve when the third umpire ruled a catch had not carried to Ryder in the gully.

The unlucky bowler was O’Brien, but he eventually got his man when Daniel Flynn held a chance in at short leg and he also claimed Shahadat Hossain cheaply to force the declaration.

Vettori was named man of the match and man of the series.

2nd Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 4th Day

BLACKCAPS skipper Daniel Vettori grabbed three wickets in an over to give his side a real chance of pushing for victory in the rain-shortened second test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Vettori produced his heroics after the BLACKCAPS had declared on 262-6 after being asked to bat in a match which saw the first three days washed out at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

The left-arm spinner left the hosts reeling at 13-3 before bad light denied him the chance of wreaking more havoc with the hosts requiring 163 to avoid the follow-on.

Entering the attack in the 10th over, Vettori grabbed a wicket with his first ball after Zunaed Siddique suffered what could only be described as a brain explosion. He charged down the track only to miss the ball and be stumped by Brendon McCullum at the second attempt after initially dropping the ball.

Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful lasted only two balls before being trapped in front and with his last ball of the over he repeated the dose to remove Rajin Saleh.

He finished with the stunning figures of 3-0 from his solitary over.

Earlier Jesse Ryder came agonisingly close to a century in his second test but fell nine runs short.

Ryder batted responsibly to build his innings, accelerating once he passed fifty for the first time in test cricket. Three figures appeared on the cards as he clubbed 12 boundaries in his 140-ball stay, but got a top edge to Abdur Razzak while trying to paddle a ball to the leg side to offer Mehrab Hossain the simplest of catches.

The burly left-hander shared in a face-saving 137-run partnership with McCullum (66) after the BLACKCAPS had slumped to 49-3.

The pitch, which had been under covers for four days, had a glossy sheen to it and the BLACKCAPS openers were soon sloping off back to the pavilion.

Aaron Redmond shouldered arms to a ball that nipped back off the seam from Mushrafe Mortaza to be trapped in front and Jamie How followed two balls later when he was beaten by an outswinger from debutant Mahbubul Alam which crashed into his off stump. At 10-2 the tourists were in danger of handing Bangladesh the upper hand but Ross Taylor helped steady things with Ryder.

But when he fell for 19, leaving a ball from Shahadat Hossain that jagged back to hit the top of his off stump, and Ryder and McCullum had to start a salvage act.

Ryder went shortly before tea and after the break McCullum looked to up the ante but mistimed a slog-sweep to hole out to Ashraful off Shakib Al Hasan. The wicketkeeper batsman seemed to be close to rediscovering his best form after a wretched time of late with the bat.

Vettori hit a breezy 22 before getting an inside edge to a ball from Ashraful and it was left to Daniel Flynn and Grant Elliott to take the BLACKCAPS top a point where Vettori was happen to declare. Flynn managed a ponderous 35 from 81 balls after being dropped on 10 and Elliott was unbeaten on 8.

The BLACKCAPS lead the two-match series 1-0.

The tourists made one change with Grant Elliott replacing the injured Jacob Oram while Bangladesh handed a test debut to paceman Mahbubul Alam who took the place of Naeem Islam.

2nd Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 3rd Day

Groundstaff work on the pitch after the rains finally ease, Bangladesh v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Mirpur, 3rd day, October 27, 2008

A saturated outfield has prevented play starting on day three of the second test between the BLACKCAPS and Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Umpires Daryl Harper and Asoka de Silva inspected the ground two hours after the scheduled start time and ordered the covers protecting the pitch be removed.

However, they deemed the sodden outfield would take too long to become fit for play and abandoned the day.

2nd Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 2nd Day

Rain has again prevented play starting on day two of the second test between the BLACKCAPS and Bangladesh at Mirpur.Persistent rain delayed a start in the test after the first day was also washed out.

2nd Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 1st Day

The first day of the Second Test between the BLACKCAPS and Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur has been washed out without a ball being bowled.

Rain prevented the covers being lifted and despite it easing to drizzle the decision was made to abandon the day's play. There is a depression sitting in the Bay of Bengal and the forecast is for similar weather tomorrow.

"We have not done very well (so far) but our best is yet to come." McCullum

Brendon McCullum has warned the hosts that New Zealand have yet to show their best in the tour although it is nearing its end.

The hard-hitting New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman has had a very poor run during the one-day series against Bangladesh that the Black Caps came from behind to win 2-1 and also in the Test series that they lead 1-0.

Admitting his lack of form in the season, McCullum said during a practice session at the Sher-e-Bangla Mirpur Stadium yesterday that the second Test, which starts at the same venue tomorrow, could be the ideal stage for Daniel Vettori's side to flourish.

"We have played two one-days here and feel we are ready to go all out and win the Test series 2-0," the New Zealand vice-captain told adding that Mirpur has wickets where the batsmen could get runs if they showed patience.

Having scored a magnificent century in the opening match of the Indian Premier League, runs have not flown from his bat but McCullum said he was working hard on it.

Everyone was fearful of the master-blaster one-day opener, especially after his swashbuckling 80 off just 30 balls that throttled New Zealand to finish a chase in just six overs -- a one-day record -- against touring Bangladesh during the 2007-08 season.

But the Bangladesh attack has so far tamed his bat successfully. His one-day scores in the series were 14, 12 and six while his Test figures while batting in middle-order were 25 and two.

"Bangladesh's performance in the Chittagong Test was not unexpected to us because it was their home condition. The spinners dominated there but we made a comeback."

New Zealand chased a record second-innings total of 317 on foreign soil to snatch a three-wicket victory in the first Test in Chittagong from the jaws of defeat, thanks to Vettori's eight-wicket haul and a pair of half-centuries. However, they will be without their ODI series hero Jacob Oram, ruled out for the last Test due to injury.

"We have not done very well (so far) but our best is yet to come."

Only five local players, Tigers captain Mohammad Ashraful, Rajin Saleh, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal and star performer of the first Test Shakib Al Hassan, had optional batting practice in the afternoon but Bangladesh will return for a full session this morning.

Oram ruled out for the second test

New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram has been ruled out for the second and final test against Bangladesh starting on Saturday in Dhaka.

"He has got a back problem. He has been ruled out for the second test, (and) will fly home on Saturday," team manager Lindsay Crocker told Reuters.

"He will undergo several medical tests at home and only than we will be able the assess the situation." Crocker said a member of the squad will take Oram's place.

Oram suffered back pain while bowling on Sunday and was rested before Bangladesh were all-out for 242 in the second innings of the first test. New Zealand lead the series 1-0 after their three-wicket win in Chittagong on Tuesday.

Middle order batsman Oram was out for a duck in the first innings and not out for eight in the second. The medium pacer ended 20-14-14-0 in the first innings and 8-2-19-0 in the second.

1st Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 5th Day

BLACKCAPS captain Daniel Vettori scored a match-winning 76 to lead his team to a three-wicket victory in the first test against Bangladesh in Chittagong.

Set 317 to win at the Divisional Stadium, the BLACKCAPS recorded their highest ever successful fourth innings run chase on foreign soil to win a test that for large parts of which they played second fiddle to the hosts.

Vettori led the way, coming in as nightwatchman late on the fourth day, to hit his 18th test fifty to complete a superb match in which he scored 55 not out in the first innings and had match figures of 9-133.

Vettori gained valuable support initially from Aaron Redmond and then young left-hander Daniel Flynn.

He was restrained during his innings and it was something of a surprise to see him dismissed 19 runs shy of victory. He was bowled playing an ugly shot across the line to a ball from left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak.

Earlier, the patient Redmond shared in a 40-run stand for the third wicket with Vettori before he was undone on 79 by first innings destroyer Shakib Al Hasan who caught the edge of his bat and Zunaed Siddique claimed the catch at slip.

His determined innings spanned 237 balls and gave the BLACKCAPS a much-needed foundation on which to build their pursuit of 317.

Flynn played a mature innings to steady the innings after the loss of Ross Taylor (9) and Brendon McCullum (2) either side of lunch.

Taylor played a loose cut to point to gift Mashrafe Mortaza his first scalp while McCullum was cut off by Sri Lankan umpire Asoka de Silva, who adjudged him leg before wicket to Razzak despite the ball clearing pitching outside leg stump.

Flynn, playing in his fourth test, was very watchful, but was quick to punish anything loose with his innings of 49 punctuated with six boundaries. He added an invaluable 82 with Vettori.

He was nearly caught by Mohammad Ashraful going back at mid on with seven runs needed for victory but survived only to fall to a bat-pad catch with the scores tied.

It was left to Kyle Mills to hit the winning runs which he did from the fourth ball he faced after a misfield from bowler Shakib who ended the match with figures of 9-115.

The successful run chase surpassed the previous highest of 164-4 made at the WACA in Perth to clinch the 1985 series with Australia.

New Zealand beats Bangladesh by three wickets in first cricket Test
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Vettori pleased with fightback
CricInfo.com
David Leggat: Dan's the man on NZ's big day
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Inspired Vettori dashes Bangladeshi cricket hopes
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Vettori thrilled with chase
SkySports
Vettori says NZealand must improve
AFP
Daniel Vettori leads New Zealand to victory over Bangladesh
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom

1st Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 4th Day

The BLACKCAPS have found some batting form to make an encouraging start in their quest for 317 to win the first test against Bangladesh in Chittagong.

The tourists were 145 for two at the close of play on day four still needing 172 to win and set a new record for a successful run chase on foreign soil.

The much maligned top order found some form to put together two solid partnerships on a wicket the has lost some of its zip and is keeping low at times.

Openers Jamie How and Aaron Redmond set the tone with a 55-run stand for the first wicket at the Divisional Stadium and the stoic Redmond found another committed ally in Jesse Ryder to add 90 for the second wicket.

At the close the dogged Redmond, playing in his fourth test match, was unbeaten on 62 and nightwatchman Daniel Vettori was yet to score.

Redmond's patient innings saw him face 192 balls and register his first test half-centruy.

Earlier, the BLACKCAPS' hopes of claiming the last two Tigers batsmen quickly when play resumed were dashed as they dug in to add another 58 runs to their overnight score of 184 for eight and push the target past 300.

The main obstacle was Mashrafe Mortaza who clubbed 44 from 87 balls until he gave part-time legspinner Redmond his first wicket in test cricket thanks to a smart stumping from Brendon McCullum.

Mortaza had earlier added 40 for the ninth wicket with Abdur Razzak before Iain O'Brien picked up the wicket of Razzak after Ross Taylor held a sharp chance at slip.

Shahadat Hossain then inherited the support role, negotiating 17 balls without scoring a run yet adding 22 with Mortaza for the final wicket before Redmond brought the curtain down with the score on 242.

The BLACKCAPS began their chase for 317 in bright fashion with How particularly aggressive. The opener hit five fours and six in his innings of 36 but it was his aggression that proved his downfall. He was bowled by Razzak trying to dab a ball to point only to see it hit his off stump.

But Redmond, who appeared content to play the sheet anchor role and Ryder, playing in his first test, overcame the hiccup to bat with discipline until Ryder was run out.

The burly left-hander had guided a ball down to third man in the third over before the close and was cauight short of his ground attempting a second run by a direct hit from Mortaza.

His 38 was a sedate innings compared to his one-day assaults but he was visbly upset with himself for getting out so close to the end of the day's play.

His dismissal brought Vettori to the crease and he and Redmond safely negotiated the final overs to see the BLACKCAPS to 145 for two at stumps to set up an intriguing final day.

The BLACKCAPS' previous best run chase abroad is the 164-4 made at the WACA in Perth to clinch the 1985 series with Australia.

The BLACKCAPS have never scored more than 300 in the fourth innings of a match on the sub-continent with the 272 for six compiled when drawing with India at Ahmedabad in 2003-04 their best efort to date.

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1st Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 3rd Day Highlights

1st Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 3rd Day

Shakib Al Hasan sweeps during his innings, Bangladesh v New Zealand, 1st Test, Chittagong, 3rd day, October 19, 2008

The BLACKCAPS will face a challenging target on a wearing pitch if they if they are to win the first test at Chittagong after Bangladesh built a lead of 258 on day three.

Two late wickets to Daniel Vettori with the second new ball saw the Tigers' end the day on 180 for eight and the tourists will be hoping to wrap up the innings early on day four to limit the total they will have to chase.

They will need a dramatic improvement on their first innings effort after they were limited to 171 - a new all time low against their hosts - to hand Bangladesh a 74-run first innings.

The Tigers set about almost squandering their advantage to lose five wickets for 71 when batting a second time and put their hopes of a first test win against a major test-playing nation on hold.

But Shakib Al Hasan, fresh from ripping the heart out of the BLACKCAPS' batting lineup with seven wickets, turned tormentor with the bat to chalk up his maiden test fifty and take the lead past 200.

Shakib finally fell for 71, but shared in a crucial stand of 56 with Mushfiqur Rahim for the sixth wicket when the hosts were in danger of failing to extend their hard-fought first innings lead into a potentially match-wining target.

Earlier in the day the BLACKCAPS added 16 runs to their overnight total to be all out for 171 - their lowest ever total against Bangladesh.

No. 11 Iain O'Brien was the wicket to fall, bowled by left-arm spinner Shakib to give the 21-year-old the superb figures of seven for 36 from 25.5 overs and record the best innings analysis by a Bangladesh bowler.

BLACKCAPS skipper Vettori ended unbeaten on 55 bringing up his 17th test half-century in the process.

Bangladesh's hopes of just their second test win were dealt an early blow when Kyle Mills caught the edge of Junaid Siddique's bat for second slip Aaron Redmond to take a simple chance.

It was then the turn for Vettori and Jeetan Patel to shine, combining to share four wickets and reduce the hosts to 71 for five and lift the BLACKCAPS' hopes of limiting the total they will have to chase.

Patel struck first, as he did in the first innings, when a perfectly flighted delivery jagged back to trap Rajin Saleh leg before wicket for six when the score was 36.

While Saleh's lack of footwork let him down, captain Mohammad Ashraful was let down by poor decision making.

Facing just his second ball from Vettori, he advanced down the wicket and sliced the ball to Redmond at cover who clung on to a difficult chance and Ashraful departed without scoring.

Patel enticed Mehrab Hossain jnr, who made 83 in the first innings, to miscue to Mills at mid on and when Tamim Iqbal was caught and bowled by Vettori the hosts looked shaky.

But up stepped Shakib and wicketkeeper-batsman Rahim to salvage the situation and it came as something of a surprise when Rahim dragged a ball onto his stumps from O'Brien to leave the score at 127 for six.

Shakib, who hit Patel for three fours in one over after reaching fifty, found another worthy ally in debutant Naeem Islam to compound the misery on the BLACKCAPS.

He mixed attacking flourishes with resolute defence and it took Vettori, who opted to take the second new ball himself and a smart juggling catch by Ross Taylor at slip to end his resistance.

Naeem went soon after for 19, also to Vettori, but the pair had added 48 and did enough to ensure the BLACKCAPS will need to score their highest total abroad to win a test match, while Vettori ended the day with figures of 4-39.

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1st Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 2nd Day Highlights

1st Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008 2nd Day

Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Ashraful are jubilant after the fall of another New Zealand wicket, Bangladesh v New Zealand, 1st Test, Chittagong, 2nd day, October 18, 2008

Left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan claimed six wickets to leave the BLACKCAPS staring at an embarrassing, and sizable, first innings deficit against Bangladesh after day two of the first test at Chittagong.

The 21-year-old had taken only three test wickets in six tests prior to this match but turned destroyer to help reduce the tourists to 155-9 after the hosts were dismissed for 245.

He finished the day with the startling figures for 6-31 from 24 overs and hauled in a stunning catch in the final over to cap a memorable day at the Divisional Stadium.

His performance overshadowed that of BLACKCAPS skipper Daniel Vettori who regsitered his 16th five-wicket haul in test cricket to wrap up the Tigers' first innings and then added a typically beligerent 49 not out to limit the damage to the tourists.

Shakib was quickly into his work, making the initial breakthrough in his second over to remove Jamie How while debutant Jesse Ryder fell in his third. Fellow spinner Abdur Razzak removed Ross Taylor before Shakib ended Aaron Redmond's watchful 90-ball stay on 19 to have the BLACKCAPS in early trouble at 52 for four.

The test minnows refused to let the BLACKCAPS off the hook and Shakib snared three more wickets in the final session to leave the visitors on the ropes.

It was not the response the BLACKCAPS wanted after they wrapped up the Tigers' innings by claiming the final six wickets for 62 when play got underway on day two.

Vettori grabbed three wickets before lunch to finish with 5-59 off 36 overs, but it was Iain O'Brien who struck first after the Tigers had resumed on 183 for 4 to remove Mehrab Hossain for 83.

The right-hander was deceived by a slower ball and could only prod a catch to Redmond at extra cover giving the Wellington paceman his third wicket of the innings.

Jeetan Patel enticed Naeem Islam to charge down the pitch only to be stumped by Brendon McCullum to end a 41-run stand for the sixth wicket with Mushfiqur Rahim and then Vettori got in out the act.

Rahim fell for 79 after top-edging a sweep to How in close to be the seventh wicket to fall with the score on 229 and the end came 16 runs later with Vettori taking a diving ctach off Patel to wrap up the innings.

The BLACKCAPS' reply began encouragingly enough with the openers negotiating almost 15 overs before How got a leading edge to a ball from Shakib that Rajin Saleh clutched at silly mid off. Ryder lasted only five balls on debut before a defensive prod gave the Shakib and Saleh combination more reason to celebrate.

Razzak claimed the scalp of Taylor, leg before wicket with a ball that appeared to clip the inside edge, and his left the BLACKCAPS at 46 for three in the 22nd over and their predicament worsened when Redmond fell an over before the tea interval.

McCullum and Daniel Flynn staged something of a fightback to add 47 for the fifth wicket before Flynn gave Islam a wicket in his first over in test cricket when he edged a cut to Rahim behind the stumps.

McCullum went in the next over, losing one hand on the bat and lofting the ball to Razzak at mid on. One-day hero Jacob Oram fell for a four-ball duck to give Shakib his first five-wicket bag in test cricket and leave the BLACKCAPS rocking at 100 for seven.

Vettori and Kyle Mills knuckled down and eked out precious runs in a 27-run stand that was ended when umpire Asoka de Silva adjudged that Mills had edged Shakib behind but the Aucklander was none too happy with the decision.

No. 10 Patel offered no runs, but valuable support to Vettori to see the pair add another 29 runs but he fell in the final over of the day, heaving a short ball from Mohammad Ashraful to Shakib at midwicket who pulled off a spectacular catch to heap more misery on the tourists.

Vettori battled through all the drama to cash in on anything short of overpitched to be unbeaten at the close one short of his 17th test fifty. But with only O'Brien to keep him company when play resumes on day three, the BLACKCAPS are facing a sizable first innings deficit.

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1st Test New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008

Mohammad Ashraful hands debutant Naeem Islam his Test cap, Bangladesh v New Zealand,1st Test, Chittagong, 1st day, October 17, 2008

The hosts crawled to 183-4 from 94 overs at the close of a painfully slow day in 35degC heat but were grateful at being let off the hook after the BLACKCAPS' catching let them down at the Divisional Stadium. Mehrab Hossain (79 not out) and Musfiqur Rahim (59 not out) mounted a spirited fightback after Bangladesh had at one stage looked in danger of being dismissed cheaply after captain Mohammad Ashraful opted to bat first on a placid pitch.
That decision almost backfired spectacularly after Iain O'Brien, preferred by the BLACKCAPS ahead of Tim SOuthee and Mark Gillespie, removed Zunaed Siddique lbw with his first ball and the seventh of the match.
But Brendon McCullum grassed a regulation chance the very next ball to give Rajin Saleh a life before Aaron Redmond dropped Tamim Iqbal at second slip off Kyle Mills in the third over - all before a run had been scored.
The blown chance made the Tigers' batsmen run-shy and they inched to lunch, with Iqbal enjoying another let-off when Redmond failed to hold a chance at short leg off Jeetan Patel, at 34 for one from 32 overs.
After the resumption the BLACKCAPS struck quickly with captain Daniel Vettori enticing a drive from Iqbal and McCullum held on to the thin edge. Iqbal, who is known as somewhat of a dasher, had squeezed out 19 runs in his 80-ball stay.
His inspid innings was surpassed by Saleh who was finally claimed by O'Brien in the 42nd over when he chopped the ball onto his stumps. His stay yielded 20 runs from 129 balls.
O'Brien at one stage had the remarkable figures of 2-4 from 11 overs as the hosts were more intent on self-preservation than run-scoring.
The next over saw Vettori deceive Ashraful in the air to trap him in front and see them slide to 44 for four. But any hopes the BLACKCAPS had of rattling through the order were stymied by Hossain and Rahim who combined in a unbroken 139-run stand for the fifth wicket - a new test record for Bangladesh.
Hossain brought some life to the listless innings and succeeded in upping the run-rate with some attractive strokeplay and he found Patel to his liking, hitting him for three boundaries in one over before tea. But both he and Rahim found, like the other Bangladesh batsmen, the miserly Jacob Oram difficult to get away with the allrounder conceding just nine runs from 15 well-directed overs.
They grew in stature in the final session as the BLACKCAPS bowlers began to tire in the heat. Hossain brought up his first test half-century from 84 balls while the more circumspect Rahim took 138 balls to record his second fifty in tests.
The pair comfortably dealt with the second new ball which Vettori took the moment it became available and the BLACKCAPS were left to rue a day that had got away from them.
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