Cricket: Spotlight back on Fleming as Black Caps take charge

7.30am - By MARTYN WATTERSON

CHITTAGONG - The Black Caps 2004 cricket tour of Bangladesh is quickly turning into a benefit gala for Stephen Fleming.

Through some significant statistics and some classy batting, Fleming has again been thrust into the limelight during the second test with the scene running to script.

The lead performer starred once more overnight, making 202, his second double century, as the Black Caps declared at 545 for six at tea from 152 overs.

At stumps Bangladesh were 82 for three -- 463 runs adrift on a pitch already providing invaluable assistance to Daniel Vettori who snapped up two late wickets.

After just two days the game is seemingly beyond Bangladesh's grasp with the Black Caps eyeing another big win.

Fleming's mammoth innings came after he passed Martin Crowe's 5444 test runs on Tuesday becoming the leading all-time test runs scorer in New Zealand cricket, while he ended day one with his eighth test century.

He also notched his 87th test beating the previous best of 86 by Sir Richard Hadlee.

His double ton yesterday from 316 balls took nearly six hours of batting in the hot Chittagong sun and included 21 boundaries and one six. Fleming is now just the third New Zealand test batsman behind Glenn Turner and Mathew Sinclair to make two double centuries.

New Zealand started the day on 338 for three with Fleming on 137 and Astle 34.

Astle added just five runs before he was out leg before wicket to Mohammad Rafique, but Fleming was back in the groove reaching 150 after just nine overs of play.

He was joined by Hamish Marshall who was back in test whites for just the second time since debuting in 2000.

The nerves would have been frayed further when on his first ball a very confident lbw appeal was dismissed.

"Yeah that's cricket. You ride your luck I suppose and the umpire made the decision and I got through. I'm not going to say I was disappointed that he kept his finger down. That's just how it is," Marshall replied to a Bangladeshi journalist when asked if he felt lucky to survive yesterday.

The 25-year-old prospered to eventually score 69 and he and Fleming took New Zealand through to lunch at 418 for four.

Fleming broke the 200 mark shortly after the break with a boundary through long-on, but he fell the next over, caught in the covers by Rajin Saleh off Mushfiqur Rahman.

Marshall, who is an automatic selection in the one-day side, reached his own milestone 10 overs later when he made his first test half-century.

"It's always nice to get a 50 and today was no exception. It's been four years in between innings so it was good to get out there and have another crack and I enjoyed it."

When Marshall fell 30 minutes before tea, Jacob Oram and first test centurion Brendon McCullum continued the momentum with the Black Caps scoring at 4.2 runs per over in the second session.

Oram and McCullum were not out 38 and 17 respectively when they declared.

With a session remaining Vettori and off-spinner Paul Wiseman were introduced after seamers Oram and James Franklin opened the first 10 overs.

Vettori removed Nafees Iqbal in his second over when he edged to Scott Styris at second slip after the hosts made 34 after nine overs.

Vettori, who took eight wickets in the first test had Bangladesh at 66 for two when debutant Aftab Ahmed was caught lbw for 20.

Wiseman ensured Bangladesh would start day three even further behind at the MA Aziz Stadium when Saleh pushed forward with three balls remaining, offering Sinclair a simple catch at silly point.

"It was nice to get three wickets, we were looking at hopefully getting three if not more so it was a brilliant start," Marshall said.

"They looked like they were playing more shots then they were in Dhaka so we just have to be patient, stick to our game and hopefully pick up some more wickets tomorrow.

"At the moment it's already turning quite a bit, so hopefully for our bowlers we can make some quick inroads."

New Zealand

First innings (overnight 338 for three)

M Richardson c Rahman b Haque 28

M Sinclair b Rafique 23

S Fleming c Rahman b Saleh 202

S Styris c and b Rafique 89

N Astle lbw Rafique 39

H Marshall c Baisya b Haque 69

J Oram not out 38

B McCullum not out 17

Extras (9b, 11lb, 18nb, 2w) 40

Total (for 6 wkts dec, 122 overs) 545

Fall: 49 (Sinclair), 61 (Richardson), 265 (Styris), 364 (Astle), 447 (Fleming), 517 (Marshall).

Bowling: T Baisya 17-0-82-0 (2w), M Rahman 15-1-68-8 (2nb), M Rafique 55-12-130-3 (1nb), E Haque 42-4-142-2 (13nb), R Saleh 19-1-81-1 (2nb), M Ashraful 1-0-5-0, A Kapali 3-0-17-0

Bangladesh

First innings

N Iqbal c Styris b Vettori 13

J Omar not out 45

A Ahmed lbw b Vettori 20

R Saleh c Sinclair b Wiseman 2

Extras (1nb, 1w) 2

Total (for 3 wkts, 32.3 overs) 82

Fall: 34 (Iqbal), 66 (Ahmed), 82 (Saleh).

Bowling: J Oram 5-0-20-0, J Franklin 3-0-14-0 (1nb), D Vettori 13-7-23-2, P Wiseman 11.3-2-25.1 (1w)

- NZPA