Cricket: 'Dramatic improvement' needed

Tim Southee, being congratulated by teammates, secured the match with consecutive wickets. Photo / Getty Images

How much do New Zealand need to improve to foot it with Australia?

Dan Vettori found it hard to quantify yesterday after wrapping up a 121-run win over Bangladesh in the one-off test at Seddon Park.

The New Zealand captain could have held his arms wide apart and said "that much", and he'd have been close.

"I couldn't put a number on it. We have to improve dramatically to try and compete and win."

Bangladesh coach and former Australian batsman Jamie Siddons had an ominous warning ahead of the transtasman clash, which starts on Friday.

"There's a few concerns," he said. "They're a bit like us, the top four or five are a little vulnerable against good bowling. It's going to be a really tough series for New Zealand."

If New Zealand expected Bangladesh, resuming at a hopeless 88 for five chasing 404, to fold like a house of cards in yesterday's light breeze, they were wrong.

Shakib al Hasan was denied a maiden test century in the first innings by a contentious catch at 87. He made no mistake second time round with a dashing perform ance.

At one point the slim left-hander took 40 off 13 balls from seamer Chris Martin and Vettori. The left- arm spinner's first two overs cost 28.

It was thrilling batting, but the loss of wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim and first innings century-maker Mahmudullah, who again looked good before falling to an athletic catch at deep mid-on by Daryl Tuffey, before lunch meant the clock was ticking.

Shakib went to the break on 98, got to the century in the first over afterwards before being bowled by Tim Southee two balls later. The end came soon after at 282, Southee taking wickets in consecutive balls to finish with the best figures of three for 41.

Shakib's 100 took only 102 balls - remembering he was on 0 off 25 balls at stumps – and included 15 fours and three sixes.

Vettori conceded that removing Mahmudullah, after the pair had followed their Bangladeshi seventh-wicket record stand of 145 in the first innings by getting to 68 and looking good, was the "final nail in the coffin".

He paid tribute to Shakib.

"We all knew he'd come out aggressively and play like he did in the first innings, but I expected us to bowl a little bit better [at him] than we did then. It wasn't to be the case, so there's lot of things we want to improve on."

Still, he'll settle for a win by that margin, and there's no question New Zealand deserved the victory. They were the better side, and won convincingly _ which is not to say their performance was entirely convincing.

Far from it. The bowling through out was ordinary too often, even allowing for a top batting strip still being in evidence on the fifth day, and the batting needs serious attention too.

Vettori hopes some of the players will get first-class action when the Plunket Shield resumes before the two tests against Australia next month.

"But it's about ownership of your game and that consistency and making sure you are [bowling] in those areas long enough.

"Australia have some very good batsmen and that consistency is going to be a key for us to succeed," he said.

Bangladesh improved as the tour progressed and certainly missed not having any warm-up games. They play England in three ODIs and two tests at home starting on February 28.

Said Siddons: "We know we need to start winning some games but if we keep improving we're going to catch up to the other teams, there's no doubt about that."