First one-day international, Mirpur:
Bangladesh 203-3 (45.3 ov) bt New Zealand 201-9 (50 ov) by 7 wickets
 Siddique recorded his highest ODI score in helping Bangladesh to victory |
Bangladesh secured a first ever one-day international victory over New Zealand with a seven-wicket win in Mirpur. New Zealand were reduced to 79-6 against a new-look Bangladesh playing their first international since the Indian Cricket League exodus. Jacob Oram hit a well-constructed 57 but the visitors struggled to 201-9. Junaid Siddique (84) and Mohammad Ashraful (60) guided Bangladesh to a historic win which Mashrafe Mortaza (4-44) had earlier set in motion. Bangladesh had previously won just five one-dayers against the eight leading cricket nations. And the victory with 27 balls to spare was even more unexpected as last month the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) handed 10-year bans to 13 of its players associated with the ICL, a tournament run in direct competition to the officially recognised Indian Premier League. Ashraful, who was appointed Bangladesh captain last year, said success was a result of his team's togetherness.  | 606: DEBATE |
"I am happy that we played as a unit," he said. "I am elated that it's the first win against New Zealand and first against a major country under my captaincy." The win had much to do with the momentum set by the impressive Bangladesh attack who restricted the Black Caps to their lowest-ever total against the home side. Mortaza dismissed three of the New Zealand top order, while Abdur Razzak (3-32) contributed with the wickets of the dangerous Scott Styris, Daniel Flynn and Oram. A 70-run partnership between Oram and Daniel Vettori (30) gave some respectability to the New Zealand score, and despite the low total the visitors would have still been confident of taking a 1-0 series lead. But the Bangladesh batting line-up proved to be more resolute than they were late last year when they were skittled out for just 98 in Queenstown. A confident 67-run second-wicket stand between Siddique and Mushfiqur Rahim (32) set the platform. And Siddique, who had managed 62 runs in his eight previous ODIs - at an average of just seven - formed a solid 109-run stand with Ashraful to inch the home side closer to victory. Siddique's majestic innings was ended by Mark Gillespie when the left-hander was caught by Oram, so it was left for Shakib Al Hasan (six not out) to push Gillespie for the winning single. Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori said Bangladesh deserved the victory. "We knew they are a good side with some quality individuals," he said. "The conditions were favourable for bowling in the morning but there are no excuses."
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