Cricket: Innings defeat looms for Bangladesh

7.30am - By MARTYN WATTERSON

DHAKA - While John Bracewell wants his Black Caps side to clean up the first cricket test against Bangladesh today, a little bit of the coach is hoping for a longer session in Dhaka.

New Zealand are heading for an easy win when play resumes on day four at 9.30am (4.30pm NZT) after Daniel Vettori took two quick wickets late in the final session yesterday leaving Bangladesh precariously placed at 41 for two in their second innings.

Bangladesh made 177 in their first innings and still trail by 184 runs after New Zealand scored 402. The toal was founded on Brendon McCullum's 143 -- his maiden test century.

With spinners Vettori and Paul Wiseman getting prodigious turn on the Bangabandhu National Stadium pitch late yesterday, Bangladesh will be hoping for a break in the blue skies as rain is the best chance they have of staving defeat.

"The win is the most important thing, and a comprehensive win is great, but in terms of our preparation for Australia a five-day match would have been excellent," Bracewell told NZPA yesterday when asked whether they were looking forward to a premature end.

"I was pleased the way Dan bowled and how he got sharp turn and also Paul Wiseman.

"In comparison to the turn Bangladesh got, it was pleasing to see our guys create some damage like that.

"Now we have the game in this situation I want it to be over and won in an innings, but it would have been better training for us if we had conditioned ourselves in the hot sun under trying conditions for five days."

After the second test in Chittagong next week followed by three one-dayers, New Zealand head to Australia for the same quota of matches.

With McCullum's outstanding century and Vettori's return to form which saw him go past Danny Morrison with 162 wickets as New Zealand's third highest wicket taker, Bracewell has some real positives from the first test.

"Brendon McCullum's innings was outstanding because we had guys who batted with him that sustained control over the match," Bracewell said.

New Zealand were 139 for five when McCullum joined the crease in the third session on day two.

The wicketkeeper started yesterday on 48 with Jacob Oram not out 18, and he soon passed 50 then marched to his hundred with a combination of boundaries and quick singles.

His century came off 158 balls with 10 fours and was highlighted by his ability to score quickly despite losing teammates when substantial partnerships were building.

Oram was the first to go in the 84th over for 23 when a defensive shot carried to first slip ended their 84-run partnership.

Oram's downfall was cause for further celebration as he became Mohammad Rafique's 50th test scalp -- the first Bangladesh bowler to reach the target.

Vettori joined McCullum and another foundation was established before he fell for 23 shortly after lunch as Nafees Iqbal dived low to his right at forward short leg and caught the ball just centimetres off the turf.

Vettori's demise brought hat-trick hero James Franklin to the crease at 294 for seven, but Franklin went for 23 in the 130th over after hooking a delivery from Tapash Baisya that went skyward, offering a simple catch.

Rafique continued his fine day when McCullum popped up an easy catch to silly mid-on to end his 243 ball innings with 10 boundaries and two sixes -- the third highest by a New Zealand wicketkeeper.

Rafique then bowled Wiseman first ball after tea for 28 to end with six for 122 from 59.1 overs.

Vettori struck back with his own spin wizardry with Javed Omar edging to McCullum while Hannan Sarker's slim pickings continued when he offered Vettori a simple return catch.

Iqbal was not out 24, with Rajin Saleh 0.

Scoreboard at close of play on the third day:



Bangladesh first innings 177 (Mohammad Ashraful 67; J.Franklin 5-28)



New Zealand first innings (overnight 207-5)

M.Richardson c Khaled Mashud b Mohammad Rafique 15

M.Sinclair lbw b Mohammad Rafique 76

S.Fleming c Khaled Mashud b Manjural Islam Rana 29

S.Styris c Rajin Saleh b Manjural Islam Rana 2

N.Astle c Manjural Islam Rana b Mohammad Rafique 11

J.Oram c Manjural Islam Rana b Mohammad Rafique 23

B.McCullum c Hannan Sarkar b Mohammad Rafique 143

D.Vettori c Nafees Iqbal b Manjural Islam Rana 23

J.Franklin c Rajin Saleh b Tapash Baisya 23

P.Wiseman b Mohammad Rafique 28

I.Butler not out 15

Extras (nb-2 lb-5 w-4 b-3) 14

Total (all out, 145.1 overs) 402



Fall of wickets: 1-34 2-97 3-99 4-122 5-139 6-223 7-294 8-351 9-371



Bowling: Tapash Baisya 28-4-112-1, Tareq Aziz 12-1-59-0 (nb-2, w-3), Mohammad Rafique 59.1-18-122-6, Manjural Islam Rana 42-12-84-3 (w-1), Rajin Saleh 1-0-4-0, Alok Kapali 2-0-6-0, Mohammad Ashraful 1-0-7-0



Bangladesh second innings

Nafees Iqbal not out 24

Javed Omar c McCullum b Vettori 14

Hannan Sarkar c & b Vettori 1

Rajin Saleh not out 0

Extras (b-1 nb-1) 2

Total (for two wickets, 21 overs) 41



Fall of wickets: 1-27 2-33



Bowling: Oram 5-2-6-0, Franklin 5-1-14-0 (nb-1), Butler 4-1-8-0, Vettori 5-3-4-2, Wiseman 2-0-8-0






- NZPA, REUTERS