Bangladesh bloodied but unbowed in latest loss

Bangladesh's learning curve steepened sharply during their brief tour of New Zealand, but they leave the country with the belief that their first victory in the Test arena will not take as long as New Zealand's did.

Bangladesh were all out for 135 half-an-hour before lunch on the fourth day of the Test on Saturday and lost by an innings and 74 runs, marking their second innings defeat in as many Tests.

The margin would have been worse had the tail not wagged significantly in the form of Mastrafe Mortaza and skipper Khaled Mashud, who built an entertaining 49 run partnership in 43 balls to ruin some New Zealand bowling figures and give the 4,000 crowd a bit more to cheer about.

Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, said he appreciated and respected Bangladesh's position in world cricket more than anyone.

"It's been tough for them," Fleming said after the match. "They were facing conditions they don't really face and we have exploited them.

"If they stay positive and play the game in the right spirit that I enjoyed, it won't be long before they get some results and they'll do it faster than New Zealand did.

"It took us 26 long years to win our first test and we got some thrashings on the way."

FIRST VICTORY

New Zealand's first victory came in Auckland in 1956 against the West Indies.

Khaled Mashud, who showed the sort of class lacking in the Bangladesh team, acknowledged the power of the New Zealanders and said they should go on and beat England.

"I don't know much about England," the Bangladesh captain said, "but I do know a lot about New Zealand and they are good."

It didn't take long for Mashud to come into the game on Saturday. Khaled Mahmud was run out by Craig McMillan after a dreadful on-off-on quick run backward of square with Sanwar Hossein.

Then Mashud watched Sanwar, a capable batsman and one of the Bangladesh finds of the tour, being toyed with by Shane Bond for five balls short of a length and then being bowled by a fuller delivery for seven.

CAUGHT BEHIND

Hasibul Hossain failed to lift his bat high enough to let a Daniel Vettori delivery go, got a nick to his retreating gloves and through to Adam Parore. And then came Mastrafe.

His first scoring shot was a retreating bat to a Bond lifter getting a nick over the slips to the boundary.

After that he took to Bond who suffered the indignity of having 32 hit off his last three overs, including a majestic straight six by Mastrafe, who had some class to go with his unorthodoxy.

He and Mashud quickly knocked up the 49 partnership, but the old master Chris Cairns gave Mastrafe a slower ball -- something Bond lacked -- and bowled him.

Last man Monjurul Islam went next ball and the match was over, with Mashud stranded on 19.

Mail Cricket Editor