Bangladesh outgunned by Black Caps in ODI opener

Hasan Mahmud is cleaned up by Trent Boult during Bangladesh's disappointing batting innings....
Hasan Mahmud is cleaned up by Trent Boult during Bangladesh's disappointing batting innings. Photo: Getty Images
Nothing about Bangladesh's opening performance suggests it will snap it losing streak in New Zealand anytime soon. Absolutely nothing.

The tourists were outclassed in the first game of the tour on Saturday.

The Black Caps eased to an emphatic eight-wicket win in the first of three ODIs.

Classy left-armer Trent Boult reigned supreme once again. He is developing a menacing record at the University of Otago Oval and his haul of four for 27 represented another stunning shift in the black strip.

It is the third time he has taken four wickets or more in an ODI at the venue.

The 31-year-old spearheaded an impressive display by the bowling unit.

All-rounder Jimmy Neesham and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner nabbed two wickets apiece, while an unlucky Matt Henry had to settle for one wicket and it was from one of his worst deliveries of the day.

The Cantabrian did not get the rewards he deserved, really.

Bangladesh rallied a touch to post a paltry total of 131.

It was at least 150 runs short of presenting the Black Caps a serious challenge in front of a capacity crowd of 5475.

The defeat means Bangladesh has now lost all 27 games in all formats against the Black Caps in New Zealand.

It is not a record which inspires great hope for a competitive series.

Bangladesh pace bowler Taskin Ahmed felt if his side could have eked out a score of 260-270 it would have been a more competitive game.

‘‘That might have been a different story but we did not bat well enough,'' he said.

‘‘But 130 was very easy to lose the game.

‘‘It has always been tough for us in New Zealand.

‘‘We haven't won a game yet but we still hope for the best.''

Boult set the tone for the first hour of the match with an unplayable first delivery to Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal.

It was full, fast and it tailed in and then swung away late.

Iqbal missed. No-one was hitting that.

Iqbal did manage to strike a blow a couple of deliveries later. He steered a short delivery from Boult over the rope for six.

But Boult had the conditions he wanted and soon struck.

He set Iqbal up with a series of outswingers and then trapped him in front with the delivery which went straight on.

Brilliant, really. He enjoyed more reward later in the over when Soumya Sarkar spooned a catch to Devon Conway at cover.

Henry had been working hard at the other end and should have had the wicket of Liton Das.

Jimmy Neesham replaced Henry and struck with a relatively vanilla delivery. That's cricket sometimes.

Das got a leading edge which floated to Boult at mid-on.

Bangladesh had slumped to 42 for three and in desperate need of a partnership.

Veteran Mushfiqur Rahim offered the most hope of orchestrating a rally.

But the 33-year-old right-hander undid some earlier hard work with a loose shot on 23.

He cut a delivery from Neesham to the safe hands of Martin Guptill.

It was a major blow and the knocks kept coming. Neesham got a fingertip to a drive from Madmud Ullah and it cannoned into the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Poor old Mohammad Mithun was run out for nine.

Boult returned to wrap up the innings.

Guptill ensured the chase would be a short one with a sparkling innings of 38 from 19 deliveries, while Henry Nicholls compiled a tidy 49 not out in his 50th ODI to help secure victory.

Game two is at Hagley Oval tomorrow and Bangladesh is likely to strike similar conditions. It could be a long tour.

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