Taylor Century Sets Up Series Win For New Zealand

Taylor celebrates his century

© REUTERS/Andrew Biraj (BANGLADESH) Picture Supplied by Action Images

New Zealand 249-7 (Taylor 103, How 73, Shakib Al Hasan 2-41) beat
Bangladesh 170-8 (Naeem Islam 46no, Oram 2-16, Mills 2-24) by 79 runs
Scorecard
3rd One Day International, Chittagong - New Zealand win the series 2-1
By John Pennington

Ross Taylor hit his third One Day International century as New Zealand beat Bangladesh by 79 runs in the decisive third match in Chittagong.

Taylor's effort helped New Zealand post 249 for seven and Bangladesh were then restricted to 170 for nine.

Taylor hit 103 and Jamie How 73 after New Zealand slipped 13 for two after they won the toss but lost openers Jesse Ryder for three and Brendon McCullum for six.

Taylor and How put on 125 for the third wicket to set the platform for the biggest score of the series. Taylor hit five fours and four sixes while How contributed 10 fours.

Bangladesh hit back, Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza taking two wickets before Daniel Vettori (19 not out) and Kyle Mills (18 not out) hit out late on.

Scott Styris (12), Jacob Oram (three) and Daniel Flynn (five) all fell cheaply as the Black Caps' middle order failed to fire.

Tamim Iqbal gave Bangladesh the sort of start they needed by hitting 35 in quick time, but they lost the wickets of Junaid Siddique, caught by Ryder off of Mills for one, debutant Imrul Kayes, caught behind off of Oram for 12, Mohammad Ashraful, bowled by Oram for eight and Shakib Al Hasan (one), caught by Ryder for Patel's second wicket to leave them on 59 for five and effectively out of the game in the 17th over.

Naeem Islam showed great maturity, hitting five fours in an unbeaten 46 but without support and in the face of an improved New Zealand bowling display, he was unable to step up the run rate.

Mushfiqur Rahim (15), Mashrafe Mortaza (nine) and Abdur Razzak (27) all got starts, but they had been left with too much to do, as was Shahadat Hossain, who was left unbeaten on 12 alongside Islam as New Zealand completed a come-from-behind series win.

Bangladesh won the opening match by seven wickets but New Zealand bounced back to win the second by 75 runs.

© Cricket World 2008