New Zealand were firmly in command of the second Test against Bangladesh at the end of the first day yesterday, trailing by only nine runs on the first innings with seven wickets in hand.
A five-wicket haul for Chris Martin was instrumental in seeing Bangladesh dismissed for only 143 inside 46 overs, with New Zealand 134 for three at stumps.
Stephen Fleming was unbeaten on 39 with Mathew Sinclair on nine.
PHOTO: AFP
Bangladesh sniffed the possibility of being competitive when first Test centurion Matthew Bell was out for one and Peter Fulton followed for 15 to have New Zealand 35 for two.
But Fleming and opener Craig Cumming set about building the innings, taking the score through to 118 before Shakib al Hasan had Cumming trapped leg before wicket bringing Sinclair to the crease to see out the day.
Although New Zealand could not be satisfied losing three wickets they had plenty to celebrate when Chris Martin claimed his eighth five-wicket haul.
PHOTO: AFP
After Bangladesh where comprehensively beaten inside three days in the first Test their batsmen were expected to show more resolve, but the wickets tumbled with a familiar regularity.
The highest partnership was 31 by Junaid Siddique and Mohammad Ashraful for the third wicket.
Ashraful went on to top score for Bangladesh with 35.
He was the only Bangladeshi to feel aggrieved at his dismissal when umpire Nigel Llong ruled a delivery from Iain O'Brien took the edge of his bat as it travelled through to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum. Television replays indicated the ball may have clipped his pad.
But there was no question about the other wickets as Martin (five for 65) and O'Brien (three for 34) ripped through the innings.
Kyle Mills snapped up Bangladesh's first Test hero Tamim Iqbal for 15 in the seventh over and by lunch the tourists were 86 for five with the innings ending just over an hour later.
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