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Jacob Oram blasted 83 off 40 balls and Daniel Vettori took three for 33 to set up a massive 146 run win in the first One-Day International of the National Bank series against Bangladesh at McLean Park in Napier.
The BLACKCAPS won the toss and elected to bat against Bangladesh on a glorious Napier day and any complacency, after Wednesday’s convincing Twenty20 victory, was short-lived.
A slow start and the cheap wickets of Brendon McCullum for duck and Martin Guptill for two had Bangladesh firmly in control after seven overs.
A 98 run partnership from debutant Peter Ingram and Ross Taylor put the BLACKCAPS firmly back on track with both players raising their bats for half centuries.
Ingram departed after crafting a fine 69 when the score was 117, Franklin came and went for two then Taylor was dismissed for 51 when the score was 135 which again slammed the brakes on the New Zealand innings..
Neil Broom and Daniel Vettori steadily re-built the BLACKCAPS’ momentum until Vettori departed for 32 in the 36th over.
The powerful New Zealand tail-end was always going to cause problems for the Bangladesh team. Oram’s introduction literally smashed any Bangladeshi hopes of a collapse over the boundary. While Broom was putting together a composed 71, at the other end Oram unleashed a torrent of boundaries.
Oram treated some ordinary Bangladesh bowling with whimsical disdain, as the scoreboard accelerated past 300, and Bangladeshi heads dropped. It was a master-class of glamorous batting from Oram, finally being bowled by Shafiul Islam in the last over but not before he’d slammed eight fours and five sixes.
Man or the match Oram paid tribute to the other batsmen, “A lot of credit has to go to Dan and Neil and the way they rebuilt the innings after we were 135 for five.
“I had a bit of time to get myself in and with the powerplay just around the corner it was pleasing. It’s been a while since I struck the ball like that period of time”
Islam was the pick of the bowlers taking four for 68 of his ten overs.
The BLACKCAPS were propelled to an imposing 336 for 9 at the end of fifty overs, with a massive 98 runs coming off the last five power-play.
If Bangladesh felt beaten-up by Orams barrage, their openers didn’t show it. Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes peppered the boundary repeatedly as Bangladesh raced to 71 without loss.
The introduction of debutant pace-bowler Andy McKay bought results, firstly the wicket of Imrul Kayes for 33 then Mohammad Ashraful for five with the score on 84.
Vettori then ripped the heart out of the top order, snaring Raqibul Hasan for 9, Tamim Iqbal for 62 and Shakib Al Hasan for eight.
A well judged catch by McKay saw the end of Mahmudullah for 23 to hand Oram his first wicket, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 167 for seven and he had his second soon after when Shahadat Hossain lobbed a simple catch to James Franklin at mid-on.
The match petered out as Bangladesh seemed reigned to defeat with part time bowler Martin Guptill taking two wickets in two balls to mop up the tail.
Vettori was pleased with the solid all round performance, “Really happy with that and couldn’t ask for too much more. Some guys really stood up, a couple on their debut and a couple of senior players as well so really happy with the team performance."
The teams move to Dunedin for the second One-Day International on Monday the 8th February where they will play the first ever match at the University Oval.
