Cricket: Black Caps cruising in practice match

8.12pm


New Zealand look set to use the final day of their three-day cricket match as batting practice after dismissing the hosts quickly in the opening session here today.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) 11 were rolled for 208 in reply to the Black Caps 344 for six declared.

At lunch New Zealand were 108 for one after 23 overs, with Mathew Sinclair unbeaten on 61 and and Nathan Astle not out 41 at the picturesque BKSP Cricket Ground.

Sinclair pasted the BCB seamers with five boundaries and a six as he registered his 50 from 56 balls, while Astle was just as severe on any short pitched deliveries.

The warm-up match, where both teams are allowed to use 12 players, is New Zealand's only game before the first test here on Tuesday.

The BCB tail provided minimal resistance when they resumed at 200 for seven. Their batting stretch lasted only 30 minutes as James Franklin claimed two wickets and Jacob Oram one.

Franklin's first scalp came from a sharp caught and bowled, while Ian Butler held onto a catch at cover for the left-armers second.

Wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum gloved an edge to give Oram his second wicket of the match as the mercury tipped 30 deg by 10am with 72 percent humidity.

In the Black Caps' second innings, opener Mark Richardson mirrored his dismissal from Thursday when was out leg before wicket without scoring.

With just one run on the board, Sinclair and Astle saw off the following overs but increased the tempo with numerous boundaries and some hefty hitting. The pair reached 37 by the 10th over and then they started to open up.

Astle brought up New Zealand's 50 with a big six over mid-wicket, while Sinclair followed suit in reaching his half-century -- New Zealand's fourth of the match so far.

The Black Caps' innings was founded on a classy 129 from captain Stephen Fleming who retired, while Hamish Marshall with 51 and Brendon McCullum's 52 not out backed up the skipper.

- NZPA