KEY POINTS:
It was not supposed to start like this.
New Zealand must beat Bangladesh tonight to keep their ODI series alive, and that's a sentence none but the most optimistic of Bangladeshi supporters would have imagined reading two days ago.
This was supposed to be the beginning of a
summer to savour: tests in Australia, the West Indies and India coming, then five ODIs in Australia when it would be the world's two top-ranked ODI countries squaring off.
Climbing to No 2 was to be New Zealand's prize for a 3-0 sweep of Bangladesh.
And perhaps that was part of the problem. When all around you are predicting an uncomplicated cleanout, it's hard to keep the mind sharply focused on the job at hand.
Bangladesh, playing determined, smart cricket, thoroughly deserved their first ODI victory over New Zealand and gave themselves the chance to dream of their first series victory over a test-playing nation.
New Zealand, who arrived badly underprepared, did get the worst of the batting conditions, but even so their's was a poorly constructed innings.
The top order lacked technique, concentration and resolve as they were reduced to 79 for six before limping to 201 for nine, courtesy of Jacob Oram and Daniel Vettori with a 70-run stand - and haven't we heard that before?
The bowling could have got them out of jail but was not remotely tight or penetrative enough as Bangladesh's batsmen seized the moment.
In the past they've been guilty of squandering winning opportunities. But this is a country which is learning its lessons fast. This time they had an opening, shoved their shoulder to the door and kept it there, winning by seven wickets with 4.3 overs up their sleeve. In ODI terms that's a belting.
So today, New Zealand return to the Shere Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur, 10km outside Dhaka, uncomfortably aware they'll need to shake off the lethargy brought on by a three-month layoff for most of them. That break can cut them some slack, but not much.
"We were 10 per cent off everything," said Oram, who top-scored with 57 but should have been run out twice before he'd reached five.
"Bangladesh played very well and didn't allow us to play anywhere near to how we can. They fully deserved their victory," he told Radio Sport.
"You have to give them credit. In a way, it was a rude awakening for us."
The New Zealand selection was odd. Where Bangladesh produced 32 overs of spin, New Zealand had only Vettori's left armers, the side loaded with medium pacers and dobbers like Scott Styris and Jesse Ryder.
Expect Jeetan Patel's offspin to be in tonight's lineup.
But it was the batting which undid New Zealand on Thursday night. It was a holding pitch, which called for knuckling down, cutting their cloth to suit, putting away the extravagant wafts, and had they reached 230 and been able to put some heat on the Bangladesh top order, the result would likely have been different.
But of the first six wickets, only Scott Styris, who went lbw to a good ball, could argue he'd been got out. The rest succumbed meekly, as the highly impressive Mashrafe Mortaza did a top job, taking four for 44, as the spinners put a lasso round the batsmen.
Junaid Siddique showed Bangladesh's growing batting confidence with his country's highest score against New Zealand, a patient, match-winning 85, and his captain Mohammad Ashraful, one of world cricket's great under-achievers, survived a sketchy start before hurrying the win along with an beaten 60.
When Ashraful is on song, Bangladesh's chances improve significantly. When they beat Australia in Cardiff three years ago, he hit a run-a-ball century; he made 87 in the World Cup win over South Africa last year and top scored with a half century when India were beaten in 2006.
New Zealand looked like a team uncertain how to approach the job. If they've figured it out in the intervening 48 hours, they should square the rubber tonight.
Time may prove this to be no more than an unexpected judder bar. As Oram said yesterday, "it's not a complete train wreck".
"But if we don't rock up with our A game we'll lose the series."
With all due respect to their hosts, losing the series opener is one thing, losing the series quite another.
Black Caps' day of shame
*Bangladesh's win was their first in 12 ODI meetings with New Zealand.
*Bangladesh's win was their 41st in 188 ODIs since 1998.
*England and the West Indies are now the only test-playing nations they've not beaten in an ODI.
*Junaid Siddique's 85 was the highest score by a Bangladesh batsman against New Zealand in an ODI.
