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Bangladesh v New Zealand, 2007 World Cup warm-up
Bangladesh shock New Zealand by two wickets
Cricinfo staff
March 6, 2007
Bangladesh 230 for 8 (Iqbal 46, Omar 45, Mortaza 30*) beat New Zealand 226 (Oram 88, Mortaza 4-44, Razzaq 4-26) by 2 wickets
Scorecard
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Tamim Iqbal got Bangladesh off to a brisk start with a 48-ball 46
© AFP
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Bangladesh have produced the first shock result of the World Cup by beating New Zealand by two wickets in their first warm-up match at the 3Ws stadium in Barbados. A fine all-round display from Mashrafe Mortaza set up the victory that stunned New Zealand a week before the tournament begins.
Set 227 for victory, Mortaza, the No. 9, launched two huge sixes off James Franklin in the penultimate over to seal their first one-day win over New Zealand. Although the warm-ups for the World Cup are not counted as official ODIs, Bangladesh's confidence will be soaring.
Mortaza's unbeaten 30 capped an impressive day after his four wickets helped restrict New Zealand to 226. He twice hit the stumps, trapped Peter Fulton in front and provided the wicketkeeper with a simple catch off Ross Taylor.
Mortaza and Syed Rasel reduced New Zealand to 34 for 4 and Jacob Oram led the recovery. Despite his injured finger, Oram salvaged the innings with a typically belligerent 88, sharing in a brisk stand of 105 with Brendon McCullum before the wicketkeeper was run-out four short of his fifty.
Bangladesh's batsmen were buoyed by their bowlers' efforts and set off in a hurry. Tamim Iqbal, the 17-year-old who made his debut last month, hit Franklin out of the attack before smacking Daniel Vettori for six. Vettori got his man shortly afterwards, but Tamim's boldness appeared to rub off on his team-mates.
Mohammad Ashraful worked the ball around and, in spite of losing several partners at the other end, kept Bangladesh in the hunt. The return of Franklin seemed to end Bangladesh's hopes when he trapped Ashraful leg-before, but Mortaza smacked him for consecutive sixes.
"It was a poor performance," admitted Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain. "It was a day when nothing went right. We batted poorly at the beginning and did not assess conditions that well. Then we bowled tentatively at the start. We kept clinging on in the field - but we just couldn't shake them.
"It was a great performance from them, and it gives us some problems going forward." Bangladesh face Scotland on Thursday while New Zealand tackle Sri Lanka the following day.
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