New Zealand had a firm grip on the second Test against Bangladesh on the second day yesterday with the tourists needing 199 more runs with five wickets remaining to avoid an innings defeat.
International whipping boys Bangladesh, already down 1-0 in the two-Test series, had collapsed to 51 for five at stumps after starting their second innings 250 runs in arrears.
To add to their woes, Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal broke his thumb when he dropped a chance from Mathew Sinclair and there were doubts whether he would bat.
PHOTO: AFP
It was one of many dropped catches by Bangladesh which allowed New Zealand to compile an exaggerated first innings total of 393, led by Daniel Vettori with 94 and Stephen Fleming who made 87.
HORROR DAY
The third biggest contributor to the New Zealand score were the extras at 51 as Bangladesh endured a horror day in the field.
But there was also reason for dissatisfaction in the New Zealand camp with no batsmen capable of pushing on for a century despite the high Bangladesh error rate.
Sinclair, who resumed the day on nine, survived two close leg before wicket appeals and three dropped catches before eventually falling for 47.
Fleming, now in the twilight of his career but still looking for a century on his adopted home ground, moved smoothly through to 61 when he was dropped by Shahriar Nafees.
He went on to reach 87 when he tried to loft Shakib Al Hasan out of the ground and this time Aftab Ahmed held the catch at deep mid-wicket.
Fleming's dismissal brought Vettori to the crease to join Brendon McCullum (40) and they put on 81 runs in a rollicking 15 overs for the seventh wicket.
DROPPED CATCH
Vettori, who hit five fours in one over from Sajidul Islam, had a lift on 70 when Mohammad Ashraful dropped a regulation catch at mid-on and added a further 24 runs before he was caught and bowled by Aftab.
His 94 included 17 boundaries and came from 87 deliveries.
Shahadat Hossain, who took the wickets of Sinclair, Oram and McCullum, was the most successful of the Bangladesh bowlers but his three wickets cost 83 runs.
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