Milne, Young and Nicholls power New Zealand’s 2-0 finish

A clinical performance from New Zealand, led by Adam Milne’s four-wicket haul and half-centuries from Will Young and Henry Nicholls, helped the visitors seal the series 2-0 in Dhaka on Tuesday (September 26). Opting to bat in the third ODI, Bangladesh could only manage 171 as the New Zealand bowlers kept chipping away at regular intervals despite a well-compiled 76 from stand-in skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto. Young then came up with a 80-ball 70 while Nicholls finished unbeaten on 50 as New Zealand reached the target in 34.5 overs.

Finn Allen struck three fours on the trot off Shoriful Islam in the first over to hit the straps straightaway. Hasan Mahmud and Shoriful bowled a maiden each but it was still a positive start for New Zealand with 48 runs coming in the first nine overs. Bangladesh hit back with quick wickets as Shoriful got Allen to top-edge a pull and then bowled Dean Foxcroft off the next ball. A good partnership between Young and Nicholls ensued, with New Zealand continuing to maintain a healthy run-rate.

Nicholls was given out caught-behind off Khaled Ahmed when he tried a pull but he reviewed immediately and replays revealed the ball struck his arm and brushed the helmet. There was a leg-before shout in the same over, again off Nicholls, with Bangladesh reviewing this time. But the ball pitched outside leg, allowing the No.3 to continue. He slowed down as he went 13 deliveries without scoring, although it didn’t matter with no scoreboard pressure on New Zealand. Young, meanwhile, got to his fifty with a boundary over mid-on off Nasum Ahmed and then hit two successive boundaries off Hasan.

An 81-run association for the third wicket was ended by Nasum who defeated Young’s outside edge to have him bowled. Nicholls then guided New Zealand towards the finish line, getting a fifty en route, with Tom Blundell assisting him in an unbroken 45-run stand that came off 34 deliveries.

Earlier, a revamped batting order didn’t serve Bangladesh too well as openers Tanzid Hasan and Zakir Hasan fell inside the first three overs. Zakir was bowled by Milne while Tanzid got an outside edge to first slip off Boult. Towhid Hridoy started positively, striking three fours but his outing was ended by Milne as he sliced a catch to cover-point. Najmul and the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim steadied Bangladesh with a brisk half-century stand, with the former scoring regular boundaries and the latter hitting two sixes. But the partnership was ended by Lockie Ferguson who got Rahim to play the ball onto the stumps.

Najmul and Mahmudullah then added 49, rotating the strike well and also hitting fours from time to time, as the Bangladesh captain got to a 55-ball half-century. But this stand too came to a premature end, when Milne returned to the attack and got Mahmudullah to edge to the ‘keeper. Mahedi Hasan started off with a couple of boundaries but in his attempt to cut a slower ball from Boult without much room, the batter edged it behind. Bangladesh were in further trouble as Najmul’s attempted reverse sweep resulted in Cole McConchie getting an lbw shout in his favour. Rachin Ravindra, McConchie and Milne cleaned up the tail as Bangladesh lost their last five wickets for just 15 runs to be bowled out in the 35th over.

Brief scores:
Bangladesh 171 in 34.3 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 76; Adam Milne 4-34, Cole McConchie 2-18) lost to New Zealand 175/3 in 34.5 overs (Will Young 70, Henry Nicholls 50; Shoriful Islam 2-32) by 7 wickets.