New Zealand huffed and puffed to a rather difficult-looking three wicket win over Bangladesh in the third and the final ODI at Christchurch. With this they have won the series 3-0. 
| Batting first after being put in, the Bangladeshi side were in early trouble when their best batsman in recent times, Tamim Iqbal was sent back early by the opposition. However, this around, his sidekick and fellow opening partner, Imrul Kayes took control and batted himself in. First in partnership with Mohammad Ashraful (31) and then along with his captain Shakib al Hasan, Kayes slowly took Bangladesh to a position of strength. image | Imrul Kayes:Century in vain> |
In fact, with Kayes looking good to get a century and Bangladesh 183/3 in 38 overs, it looked like a 270 was on cards.
Unfortunately for the visitors, their age-old problem stuck. Just when one thought that they would be able to accelerate with the batting powerplay still remaining, they lost their captain. Also, Kayes was fast approaching his century and his pace slowed down a bit which affected the side.
Add to that the fact that none of the lower batsmen, who had earlier been the scourge of the opposition bowlers, could get going and the side folded for only 241.
The target was obviously not a lot, and the manner in which the Kiwis went about their business, it did not look like they wanted to bat more than 30 overs. In the process, they did lose the wickets as well.
75 came off the first ten overs, but soon Peter Ingram fell as the second wicket, and the in-form Taylor also could not survive a lot. Daniel Vettori promoted himself to the number five position and made a well-compiled 34, but once he was dismissed, Guptill fell soon after, and a collapse ensued.
From 160/3, the Kiwis slumped to 210/7 and with the glue of the innings, Guptill (91) no longer around anything was possible. Fortunately for the side Ian Butler and the injured James Franklin saw the team through with three wickets standing and five overs to spare.
Guptill won the man of the match award for his innings.