Cricket: Spinners take control as wickets tumble

Rejuvenated Daniel Vettori continued to toy with the Bangladeshi batsman as New Zealand took a stranglehold on the second test in Chittagong.

The orthodox left-armer captured six for 70 to help skittle Bangladesh for 182 in their first innings shortly after lunch on the third day.

New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming, who scored 202 of his side's 545 for six declared, promptly enforced the follow-on, with Bangladesh 363 short of making the tourists pad up again.

Vettori and fellow spinner Paul Wiseman were preparing for a heavy workload later in the day after they undermined Bangladesh's hopes when the home side resumed on 82 for three.

Offspinner Wiseman impressed in taking three for 68, but it was Vettori who proved a real handful for batsmen with questionable technique on a pitch offering him turn and bounce.

It was Vettori's ninth five-wicket haul in tests and his second of this series after he took six for 28 in the first test at Dhaka last week, won by New Zealand by an innings and 99 runs.

Vettori, 25, had entered this series following a barren spell in which he had taken just 16 wickets in his previous 10 tests.

His pickings have been rich in Bangladesh, though, as he lifted his tally for the series to 14.

There was limited resistance yesterday after Javed Omar departed for 58, caught in close by Mathew Sinclair off Wiseman, after resuming on 45.

Mohammad Rafique, who boasts a test century against the West Indies, was not going to die wondering as he blasted 32 off just 40 balls, including three sixes and two fours, before Vettori induced a false stroke and saw Wiseman accept a simple catch at mid-wicket.

Rafique was the first batsmen to depart after lunch as the Bangladesh tail failed to wag following the break.

They had gone to lunch on 172 for seven and the last three wickets went for 10 runs before a stunned crowd of 7000.

* South Africa have included their first player of Asian origin in their squad for a two-test series in India next month.

Batsman Hashim Amla is one of four new caps in the 14-man squad, along with allrounder Zander de Bruyn, pace bowler Alfonso Thomas and wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile.

Opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs, who is still under investigation by Indian police over his involvement in the 2000 match-fixing scandal, declared himself unavailable for selection.

Left-arm spinner Nicky Boje, another player wanted for questioning, was named as the new vice-captain in place of dropped wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

Selection convener Omar Henry said if Boje decided not to tour he would be replaced by swing bowler Charl Langeveldt.

- NZPA