New Zealand (AP/UNB) — Bangladesh squandered a strong start to score 236-9 as it batted first on Saturday in the third one-day international against New Zealand on Saturday.
Tamim Iqbal (59) and Imrul Kayes (44) shared a century opening stand which seemed to have set up Bangladesh for a competitive total after it won the toss and batted on a slow pitch at Saxton Oval.But in a repeat of the middle order failure which cost it victory in the second match of the series on Thursday, Bangladesh lost its next six wickets for 68 runs, falling short of a score which is unlikely to test New Zealand as it seeks a clean sweep of the three-match series.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson gave the new ball to the 36-year-old off-spinner Jeetan Patel, who was playing his first one-day international since 2009, and gave 28 of the 50 overs to slow bowlers, personally taking 1-24 from eight overs of off-spin.
Iqbal and Imrul batted without difficulty through 21 overs. But when Imrul was out to the second ball of the 22nd over, superbly caught by Neil Broom from the bowling of allrounder Mitchell Santner, the Bangladesh innings faltered.
Sabbir Rahman score 19 before gloving a leg side catch to wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi off Matt Henry. Sabbir’s dismissal triggered the collapse, just as it did in the second game of the series.
Mahmdullah, who has had a poor series making scores of 0 and 1 in the first two matches, failed again and was out for 3, caught by James Neesham off Tim Southee. Iqbal was caught by Broom off Neesham after scoring 59 runs from 88 balls with five fours.
Shakib Al Hasan was then run out by Ronchi who brilliantly fielded in front of the wicket and threw the ball to Patel at the bowler’s end. Mosaddek Hossain gave Patel the first wicket in his comeback to ODIs when he was trapped lbw at 170-6.
Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan led a small revival in only his second one-day international, hitting 44 runs from 39 balls before being the last man out in the 50th over.
