While the BLACKCAPS showed improvements from game one with the ball and in the field, chasing with the bat proved the stumbling block. With young all rounders Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham looking right at home, Bangladesh were restricted to 247 all out, but the reply was hampered by a lack of partnerships, and the pressure of the ever increasing run-rate. Ross Taylor played the anchor role, but in the end the game got away from the visitors, resulting in a 40 run loss and handing a delighted Bangladesh an unassailable 2-0 lead in the best of three series.
Tim Southee and Kyle Mills did a solid containing job at the start, backed up by sharp work in the field. But it wasn't until Nathan McCullum came into the attack and tempted Shamsur Raheem down the pitch, to be stumped by Tom Latham that the BLACKCAPS got the breakthrough. Mominul was next when Corey Anderson forced a false shot that was snaffled by Nathan McCullum at mid wicket.
Anderson struck again, getting danger man Tamim to play on while taking a big swing when he was on 58 from 86, before Southee, then Mills, then Jimmy Neesham were rotated at the bowling crease and clamped down on the scoring. Neesham cleaned up Mushfiqur, who was out caught Latham for 31.
Mills was next to strike, removing the dangerous Naeem for 16, leaving Bangladesh tottering at 171-5 with two new men at the crease, forced to lift the scoring rate with mixed results. Anderson and Neesham were in the wickets as the tail wilted, ending up with four wickets each and restricting the home side to 247 all out in 49 overs, leaving the BLACKCAPS a 5.04 run chase.
The beginning of the BLACKCAPS innings was tense, with Rutherford gone early and Bangladesh fired up in the field. Grant Elliot and Anton Devcich started to work singles, before Devcich was caught and bowled by Sohag at the end of 13 overs, and Elliot was LBW to Razzak the very next ball.
That brought Ross Taylor and Corey Anderson to the crease, who kept the score ticking over and put pressure on the fielders with their running. Both men started playing their shots as the partnership grew, before Anderson was out caught behind by Mushfiqur, who landed heavily taking the catch.
Next man in Brendon McCullum was aggressive from the start, but was LBW to Mominul on 14. Latham came and went, run out for 0, for Neesham to join Taylor, who was patiently compiling his innings.
Neesham went to a fine catch by Naeem at backward square for 8, before Taylor cut loose, hitting a big six over mid wicket, attempting to break the shackles. He tried the same the next ball, only to be caught on the rope.
Experienced campaigners Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum batted with purpose, producing some thrilling shots to give the team a sniff. , but by then the rate required had lifted to over two a ball. McCullum went caught on the boundary attempting another six, then Southee was bowled in the final act of the game.
The BLACKCAPS will look to make amends in the last match in the ODI series on Sunday in Fatullah - if the improvements made with the ball and in the field can be replicated with the bat the team will be very confident of getting something from the series.
