Day five abandoned without a ball bowled - match drawn.
The rain arrived overnight, looked like it would allow a start an hour after play was scheduled, but then settled in for the day, meaning day five was abandoned without a ball bowled.
The Test, and the series, are drawn, with fans and players alike denied the chance of finding out how the teams would react with all results possible and a day to decide.
For the BLACKCAPS, they'll look back on a series where their top order batting delivered the goods, backed up admirably by their team mates lower down the order. First innings scores of 469 and 437 are good returns for the hard work and preparation that went into getting ready for sub-continent conditions.
Debutants Corey Anderson and Ish Sodhi will also be pleased with their introduction to Test cricket. Sodhi not only looked increasingly at home at the bowling crease, he scored a half century at a valuable time in the second Test, while Anderson showed great confidence and skill to notch a debut century, as well as very useful contributions with the ball.
The bowling attack worked hard throughout the series in the testing conditions. There's no doubt Sodhi looks a bowler of great promise, and Neil Wagner was his usual bundle of energy, putting pressure on the home team in the second Test.
The BLACKCAPS are quick to acknowledge they met a great home team, with man of the series Mominul Haque the stand out, backed up by Sohag Gazi's incredible performance with bat and ball in Chittagong, and Tamim Iqbal and Shakib al Hasan's consistency and class.
While both teams will be disappointed not to have settled things on the field, they can take positives from an enthralling Test series. The focus now turns to the limited overs matches, with the first in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Day four: New Zealand 437 all out. Bangladesh 269-3 (Mominul 126, Tamim 70)
Mominul Haque defied everything the BLACKCAPS threw at him to help chase down the lead, pass it, and set about building one for Bangladesh, in a partnership of 157 with Tamim Iqbal and later on with Shakib al Hasan. They finished the day 115 ahead with seven wickets in hand and a day to play, after a long day in the field for the visitors in the best weather conditions of the Test so far.
The BLACKCAPS added 18 to their overnight total. Ish Sodhi was run out when he and BJ Watling tried for a single that wasn't really there. Trent Boult followed soon afterwards, lbw to Abdur Razzak, leaving Watling not out on 70.
Again, Boult and Doug Bracewell bowled well for little reward, and it wasn't until Neil Wagner was thrown the ball that wickets fell. First, he had Anamul Haque caught by Peter Fulton in the slips from his first ball, then four overs later he forced Marshall Ayub to edge to Taylor, also in the slips.
Bangladesh were 55-2 and needed a partnership, which is what they got from Tamim Iqbal and first Test hero Mominul Haque. They got into their work and set about chasing down the New Zealand lead, which they did in the middle session. The BLACKCAPS bowlers stuck to their task but were unable to unlock the partnership, despite working hard to beat the bat and put pressure on the batsmen.
Mominul brought up his century from 169 balls in the 71st over, to the delight of the large crowd - but the breakthrough was just around the corner, when Williamson had Tamim slashing outside off stump when he was on 70, only to catch a thick edge that flew to Taylor at first slip.
Everything was thrown into the last hour, with Bracewell and Boult back in the action when the new ball was taken straightaway. Boult could have struck twice in the 83rd over, when a confident LBW shout was turned down, and then forced an edge that flew through the vacant third slip. Soon after, Bracewell forced an edge, only for it to pass between the slip fielders and race away to the fence.
All results are still possible on day five, and the series will be decided by the team that finally wrestles the advantage after two Tests where momentum has swung from one team to the other and back relentlessly. The BLACKCAPS will be keen to get the most from a new-ish ball on a pitch that looks still favourable for batting and work hard to get the result they came for.
Day three: New Zealand 419-8 (Anderson 116, Williamson 62, Taylor 53, Watling 59*, Sodhi 55*)
The BLACKCAPS are 137 runs ahead of Bangladesh after a day where Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, BJ Watling and Ish Sodhi all passed 50 and Corey Anderson scored his maiden century. As individuals and in partnerships, the visitors have turned the pressure from themselves to their hosts, and can be well-satisfied with their batting on day three.
After a start delayed 20 minutes by a rogue shower, Taylor got his 50 but was almost immediately out, edging a Shakib Al Hasan delivery to first slip. Anderson joined Williamson, and they started slowly, with the wet outfield holding their boundary shots up, but Anderson brought up his maiden Test 50 from 72 balls, pushing Shakib to fine leg for three. Williamson joined him a few overs later with a drive down the ground for four.
The partnership went past 100 runs in the 66th over just before lunch, and the pair were working together well. Anderson brought up his maiden Test century in style, punching Sohag through mid on to the fence before raising the bat to his team mates.
Williamson went for 62 in the 80th over, lifting Sohag to Tamim, who took a superb running, behind-his-head catch, bringing the vital 140 run partnership to a end. Anderson went next on 116, trying to drive Al-Amin, but ending up caught in the covers, just after he and Watling had leveled the scores.
Watling set about building a partnership with Doug Bracewell, and they worked singles, punctuated by well-taken boundaries until Bracewell was caught by Mushfiqur for 17 defending, before the players trooped off for tea.
Wagner showed intent, chipping in with a boundary before being caught at slip for 8. That brought Ish Sodhi to the crease, and he and Watling set about scoring quickly, building a partnership that passed 50 as the BLACKCAPS lead ticked past 100 in the 122nd over. Sodhi rode his luck and was dropped twice, with a caught and bowled chance and one at mid off that Tamim never got underneath properly.
Sodhi went on to bring up his first Test 50 in the 130th over from 59 balls, shortly before play ended for the day.
The BLACKCAPS will look back with satisfaction on putting themselves in a strong position in the match, mindful the to-do list for day four includes a) scoring as many runs as possible with the last two wickets, and b) putting the hosts under pressure as soon as their turn to bowl rolls around.
Day two: Bangladesh 282 (Neil Wagner 5-64, Ish Sodhi 3-59), New Zealand 107-3 (Ross Taylor 37*, Kane Williamson 28*)
The BLACKCAPS head into day three 175 runs behind Bangladesh with seven wickets in hand in the second Test in Dhaka.
The visitors wrapped up the Bangladesh innings in short time in the morning session to restrict the home side to 282 with Neil Wagner grabbing his best figures and first five wicket bag for New Zealand. The openers negotiated the new ball successfully before losing both their wickets just before lunch. Kane Williamson shrugged off a blow to the helmet, returning to the crease after retiring hurt before the heavens opened and play was called off early for the second day in a row, leaving Williamson and Ross Taylor at the crease.
In the morning session, the BLACKCAPS successfully delivered their plan of bowling tight lines and cutting off the boundary balls to keep pressure on the batsmen. Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell both bowled excellent spells, before Wagner and Ish Sodhi capitalised on their ground work.
First, Wagner had Mushfiqur driving wildly to Peter Fulton in the gully for the first wicket of the morning, before grabbing first Test centurion Sohag Gazi for 14, to his delight. Wagner then completed his five wicket bag and best ever Test innings haul when Rubel attacked, but could only find an edge which BJ Watling dived to secure.
Among Wagner's carnage, Sodhi had seen off Nasir Hossain, who edged to Taylor at slip, and ended the innings by bowling Abdur Razzak for 13. Bangladesh were all out for 282, and the BLACKCAPS could be satisfied with a ruthlessly efficient morning's work in the field.
Openers Fulton and Hamish Rutherford started well, watching the bowling carefully before cashing in with the occasional stroked drive to the fence. Their good work was undone somewhat just before lunch with Rutherford, then his opening partner, falling to Shakib al Hasan, to a sharp catch at short leg and lbw without offering a shot respectively.
Taylor and Williamson were both relatively new to the crease straight after lunch, but calmed things down nicely. They were both played in when drama struck as Williamson, on 27, tried to duck under a shortish delivery from Rubel and was struck on the helmet. After a physio's assessment, he retired hurt to have stitches.
Brendon McCullum replaced him and looked in fine touch, stroking a couple of boundaries before attempting to lift Shakib over deep square leg, only to see Rubel perform a hail mary leap, landing on his back but coming up with the ball. The skipper was gone for 11.
That brought Williamson back to the crease, and he carried on where he left on - but his promising partnership with Taylor was put on hold when the rain came back in, and steadily got worse. Play was abandoned for the day at 3.30pm local time.
The BLACKCAPS will be keen to make sure of knocking off the deficit and pressing home the advantage their bowlers have given them. With Taylor and Williamson looking unfazed by the conditions and plenty of batting to come, New Zealand will look to build an imposing total - if only the weather will play ball.
Day one: Bangladesh 228-5 (Mominul Haque 47, Neil Wagner 2-43, Trent Boult 1-50, Corey Anderson 1-14, Ish Sodhi 1-38)
After Ross Taylor had the honour of leading the side out in his 50th Test, early missed chances and some positive batting from the home side was the story of the morning session as Brendon McCullum's men were invited to bowl first after losing the toss. But as the day wore on, the BLACKCAPS bowlers picked up three late scalps in a short space of time, to arguably have the momentum as rain drew a veil over day one early.
It could have all started very differently for the BLACKCAPS. After losing the toss and taking the field, first BJ Watling then McCullum spilled chances from Tamim Iqbal behind the wicket. But with the inclusion of the extra seamer, these were encouraging signs, and Trent Boult soon had the breakthrough when Anamul Haque skied Boult to Kane Williamson, who calmly took the catch.
From there, Tamil Iqbal and Marshall Ayub were able to play themselves and work the ball around, before Neil Wagner got a ball to skid through on Marshall, collecting his stumps on the way through in the 23rd over.
That brought first Test hero Mominul Haque to the crease, and he picked up where he left off, carving boundaries all around the ground to the delight of the steadily building crowd at Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
McCullum had a plan brewing for Mominul Haque, setting an unusual field with a short cover, short mid off, mid off, as well as a gully and slip. It paid off when Corey Anderson got Mominul to take a big swipe at a short ball, only to end up caught behind by Watling three short of his 50, and bringing his partnership of 76 with Iqbal to a close.
Tamim picked up the pace, taking three fours from a Doug Bracewell over in the second session as he raced closer to his century but stumbled at the last, guiding Wagner to Williamson in the gully, who took a great diving catch.
Ish Sodhi was in on the act next, bowling Shakib Al Hasan a straight one that he attempted to sweep, was struck on the pad, and on his way lbw for 20.
The players trouped off for tea, but as soon as they left the field the rain came in and the extensive covers came out. The rain only got worse, causing the umpires to call play off at around 3.30pm.
At 228-5, the BLACKCAPS will be pleased with their position, and Bangladesh's positive run rate of over four an over means the game is already quite advanced. The goal is obviously to get the remaining wickets fast, and get in a position to dictate terms on day two.
