All-round Neesham stars in New Zealand win

Tom Latham’s maiden half-century as captain, Jimmy Neesham’s all-round heroics, and Hamish Bennett’s 3 for 31 took New Zealand to a four-wicket win over Bangladesh in its second game of the One-Day International tri-series at Clontarf Cricket Club Ground in Dublin on Wednesday (May 17).

Having beaten Ireland by 51 runs in its first game, this win helped New Zealand strengthen its grip at the top of the table with eight points.

Put in to bat, Bangladesh rode on half-centuries from Soumya Sarkar (61), Mushfiqur Rahim (55) and Mahmudullah (51) to make 257 for 9 in 50 overs. The problem with its innings was that even though five batsmen crossed 20, no one took up the responsibility of building the innings and batting deep. New Zealand had a few hiccups in its chase, but Latham’s 54, Neil Broom’s 48 and Neesham’s 52 ensured that it got to 258 for 6 in 47.3 overs.

Bangladesh started its innings strongly, with Tamim Iqbal and Sarkar putting on 72 runs for the opening wicket. Neesham was the first to strike in the 16th over when Tamim cut a wide one to Colin Munro at the cover boundary. Tamim made 23, which included three fours. Then Mitchell Santner bowled Sabbir Rahman in the next over as Bangladesh became 79 for 2.

Sarkar and Rahim had added 38 runs in 8.1 overs when Ish Sodhi sent Sarkar back after his strike rate of 91.04 over 67 balls had given Bangladesh some impetus, but Shakib Al Hasan made only six before becoming Sodhi’s second wicket and that pushed the innings back.

Rahim and Mahmudullah rebuilt the innings with a 49-run stand before Neesham had Rahim caught behind off the first ball of the 38th over. Then there was a partnership of 61 between Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain before Bennett struck for the first time when he had Mahmudullah spectacularly caught by Seth Rance at short fine-leg.

Bennett and Rance then combined to get rid of Hossain, who made a run-a-ball 41, and Mehedi Hasan as well off consecutive balls. Bennett missed out on a hat-trick, but Mashrafe Mortaza was run out off the penultimate ball of the innings as Bangladesh ended up losing the four wickets for just 16 runs.

In the chase, Luke Ronchi (27) had put on 39 with Latham when Mustafizur Rahman dismissed him off the last ball of the seventh over. The innings, though, remained on track through another steady partnership of 41 runs between Latham and George Worker.

After Sabbir ran out Worker in the 17th over, Latham added 30 more runs with Ross Taylor. Latham was caught behind off Rubel Hossain, and when Mustafizur trapped Taylor lbw, the scoreboard read 147 for 4 in 30.3 overs.

The game was in the balance at that point, but Broom and Neesham had a brisk partnership of 80 runs in 12.3 overs to put New Zealand ahead. They hit seven fours and one six in that phase to not allow the asking rate to go out of reach.

Mosaddek had Broom lbw, and Mortaza had Neesham caught but by then New Zealand was in complete control. With 16 needed off 21 balls, Munro and Santner hit three fours between them to complete the formalities.