Bangladesh draw with NZ

Bangladesh fought hard to stave off an embarrassing defeat against some quality New Zealand bowling as the second Test finally ended in a draw on the fifth and final day here on Wednesday.

New Zealand clinched the two-match series 1-0 after they won the first Test at Chittagong by three wickets. They nearly pulled off a highly unlikely win after the first three days were washed out.

The home team were facing a possible follow-on and with it a defeat at 44-6 before brilliant knocks by all-rounders Shakib Al Hasan (49) and Mashrafe Mortaza (48) helped them avoid the ignominy of batting for a second time.

With not much to play for, the tourists batted a second time and reached 79-1 before both captains decided to call off the match. Jesse Ryder followed his 91 in the first-innings with an unbeaten 39 while Aaron Redmond made 30 not out.

Opener Jamie How was dismissed for eight.

Earlier Hasan and Mortaza put on a fighting 78-run stand for the seventh wicket which enabled Bangladesh to declare their first innings at 169-9, six more than required to avoid the follow-on.

DHAKA, AFP

NEW ZEALAND - 1ST INNINGS - 262-6 declared 
BANGLADESH 1ST INNINGS - 169

NEW ZEALAND - 2ND INNINGS
J. How c Razzak b Mortaza		 8
A. Redmond not out			30
J. Ryder not out			39
Extras: (b1, nb1)			 2

Total: (for one wkt)			79
Fall of wickets: 1-8.
Bowling: Mortaza 5-1-14-1, Alam 3-1-12-0, Razzak 7-1-12-0, Hasan 2-0-2-0, 
	Hossain 6-0-20-0 (1nb), Siddique 2-0-2-0, Ashraful 1-0-4-0, Mehrab 4-0-11-0, Iqbal 1-0-1-0.