NZ go to lunch with a lead of 140 runs and four 1st innings wickets in hand.
KEY POINTS:
DUNEDIN - Matthew Bell has marked his return to international cricket after a six-year exile with his second test hundred as New Zealand maintained their stranglehold over Bangladesh on day two of the first test here at University Oval.
And fellow Black Cap Jacob Oram isn't far behindBell, reaching 95 n.o at lunch himself.
Resuming on 74, Bell completed his century with a dab to third man, running arms aloft to complete the single before being congratulated by Oram.
The opener, who was dropped during the drawn series in Australia in 2001, brought up the milestone off 175 balls though he had a life on 97.
Bell was fortunate to survive a concerted leg before wicket appeal after being struck on the pad by pace bowler Mashrafe Mortaza.
Australian umpire Peter Parker gave Bell not out but replays indicated the ball was going to strike off stump before it deflected on to his bat.
Bell scored his maiden test century, 105 against Pakistan in Hamilton, in March 2001, two tests before he was dropped during a tough initiation against the world champions across the Tasman.
His domestic form this season, 722 runs at 103 for Wellington in the State championship prompted his return at the expense of Michael Papps, who endured a dismal tour of South Africa in November.
Bell notched his half century off 75 balls yesterday with 10 boundaries and found the rope another seven times in the morning session before acknowledging the Black Caps' dressing room.
Oram, 17 not out overnight, also posted a personal milestone, registering his half century with his ninth boundary off 79 deliveries.
The pair brought up a 100-run stand for the fourth wicket before Bell reached his century and at lunch New Zealand were a dominant 277-6 in reply to Bangladesh's first innings of 137.
SCOERBOARD: (Lunch, Day 2)
Bangladesh First innings 137
New Zealand First innings (156-4 overnight)
C Cumming lbw b Islam 1
M Bell lbw b Ashraful 107
P Fulton b Hossain 14
S Fleming c Rahim b Islam 14
M Sinclair lbw b Mortaza 29
J Oram not out 95
B McCullum c Siddique b Ashraful 7
D Vettori not out 1
Extras (6lb, w2, 1nb) 9
Total: (for 6 wkts, 72 overs) 277 Fall: 5 (Cumming), 31 (Fulton), 58 (Fulton), 121 (Sinclair), 260 (Bell), 270 (McCullum)
Bowling: S Hossain 15-0-74-1; S Islam 16-2-64-2 (1nb 2w); M Mortaza 17-3-60-1; E Haque 18-3-48-0; M Ashraful 6-0-25-2
