The BLACKCAPS are well placed to secure victory in the second National Bank Test at Wellington.
Captain Daniel Vettori (94) and predecessor Stephen Fleming (87) led the way as the home side put on 393 in their first innings at the Allied Nationwide Finance Basin Reserve.
Mathew Sinclair (47), Craig Cumming (42) and Brendon McCullum (40) also contributed to the score, easily surpassing the tourists first innings score of 143.
The BLACKCAPS attack then captured five Bangladesh wickets after tea at a cost of just 51 runs, 199 adrift of safety.
Resuming 19 runs behind on the second day, Fleming and Sinclair moved past the Tigers’ total, but rode their luck slightly after a number of dropped catches.
The pair put on 106 for the fourth wicket before Sinclair was caught behind off Shahadat Hossain.
Fleming then fell 13 runs short of a first Test century at his province’s home ground, but Vettori and McCullum made steady progress with an 81-run stand.
The all-rounder kicked on, and he was also in sight of three figures before Aftab Ahmed took a low return catch to deny him.
The BLACKCAPS did not negotiate the evening session at the crease, but there was enough time to put a serious dent in Bangladesh’s hopes of avoiding an innings defeat.
Kyle Mills struck twice, and fellow seamers Jacob Oram, Chris Martin and Iain O’Brien also claimed wickets, as the Tigers’ top order was cut through in the remaining 22 overs.
Veteran Habibul Bashar, unbeaten on 21 at stumps, led the way, but faces an uphill struggle to keep his side in the game.
