Cricket: Nervy Black Caps do the job after shaky start

7.30am - by RICHARD BOOCK

KIMBERLEY - New Zealand emerged from the scalding northern cape sun with everything they were hoping for after beating Bangladesh by seven wickets at the De Beers Diamond Oval this morning.

The New Zealanders' third win of the tournament pushed them up into third place in the Group B standings for a while at least, and boosted their all-important run-rate up to +402 – with a bigger improvement likely after Monday's match against Canada.

For all that, it was hardly plain sailing for Stephen Fleming's men, who initially found themselves in a bigger scrap than they had counted on.

New Zealand started the match as if they'd spent the past ten days sunning themselves on the coast, their four fast bowlers, including Kyle Mills on debut, finding little rhythm and allowing Bangladesh to escape from 107 for six to 198 for seven.

Having omitted Lou Vincent and Nathan Astle, New Zealand clearly expected their pacemen to blast out the tentative Bangladeshis, but only Jacob Oram showed enough consistency to be able to reflect on his performance with any satisfaction.

Shane Bond never looked happy with his lot despite ending with reasonable figures; Mills was a mixture and Andre Adams was far too wayward, giving up 50 runs off his ten overs as Bangladesh enjoyed a rare good moment in the sun.

In temperatures that reached 38degC, Khaled Masud and Mohammad Rafique caused the Kiwis some consternation as they added 70 runs off 69 balls in an unbroken eighth wicket stand, following an enterprising 56 from opener Mohammad Ashraful.

By far New Zealand's best bowler was Daniel Vettori, who gave up only 19 runs off his 10 overs spell, a performance that suggested Chris Harris' slow leg-cutters might also have proved useful.

In reply, New Zealand seemed to have an opportunity to knock the runs off quicker, but looked a shade anxious until the final charge from man-of-the-match Craig McMillan, Scott Styris and Chris Cairns.

Fleming appeared to be given out caught off his forearm, Adams departed for a quickfire 18 and McMillan, after accepting the opening duties for the second match in succession, was last out for 75 off 83 balls, including nine fours and a couple of sixes.

However, the real fireworks began as the New Zealanders closed in on the target, Cairns smashing an unbeaten 33 off 21 balls including a straight six out of the ground and Styris 37 not out off 36.

Bangladesh

H Sarker c McCullum b Bond 9

M Ashraful c and b Bond 56

S Hossain b Oram 5

H Bashar c McCullum b Oram 0

A Kapali c Bond b Adams 9

A Khan c Fleming b Bond 13

K Mashud not out 35

K Mahmud c McCullum b Oram 12

M Rafique not out 41

Extras (1b, 4lb, 3nb, 10w) 18

Total (for 7 wickets, 50 overs) 198

Fall: 19 (Sarker), 37 (Hossain), 37 (Bashar), 71 (Kapali), 105 (Khan), 107 (Ashraful), 128 (Mahmud).

Bowling: S Bond 10 overs 1 maiden 33 runs 3 wickets (5w), K Mills 6-0-32-0 (2nb), A Adams 10-0-50-1 (2w), J Oram 10-1-32-3 (2w), C Cairns 3-0-17-0 (1nb, 1w), D Vettori 10-0-19-0, S Styris 1-0-10-0.

New Zealand

C McMillan b Mahmud 75

S Fleming c and b Mahmud 32

A Adams c Ashraful b Mahmud 18

S Styris not out 37

C Cairns not out 33

Extras (1nb, 3w) 4

Total (for 3 wickets, 33.3 overs) 199

Fall: 71 (Fleming), 99 (Adams), 138 (McMillan).

Bowling: M Islam 7-1-37-0, T Baisya 8-0-56-0 (1w), K Mahmud10-0-46-3 (1nb, 1w), A Kapali 6-0-38-0 (1w), S Hossain 2-0-19-0, MAshraful 0.3-0-3-0.

Result: New Zealand won by seven wickets.

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