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Match facts

October 14, 2008
Start time 9.00am (0300 GMT)

Big Picture

Bangladesh have the opportunity to make history by winning the decider in Chittagong, which will give them their first series win against a major Test-playing opposition. They have bounced back well after several of their first-choice players signed up with the ICL but their slow run-rate in the second ODI, where they collapsed chasing a modest 212, prevented them from turning the final game in to a dead rubber. Their bowlers have been accurate and fielders vigilant so far and if they are to dispel the notion that their victories are still just aberrations, they need this win.

New Zealand have been lucky so far, with only Jacob Oram firing for them. They arrived with hopes of a 3-0 whitewash that would have elevated them to No. 2 on the ICC rankings. However their batsmen, apart from Oram, have failed to adapt to the slow pitches.

Pitch & conditions

The Chittagong pitch is made of brown clay and is expected to be slower, though firmer, than the Mirpur one. The weather has been hot and sultry over the last few days and temperatures could reach 35 to 36 degrees Celsius. Though it is likely to be sunny, the stadium’s proximity to the sea means rain is always a possibility.

Form guide (last 5 ODIs, most recent first)

New Zealand WLWWW

Bangladesh LWLLLL

Watch out for

Jacob Oram: Twice he arrived when New Zealand were on the brink of a collapse and he pulled them towards safety. He is the series’ top scorer and his all-round skills provide the New Zealand team balance and batting depth.

Team news

Bangladesh have left out Mehrab Hossain and Mahbubul Alam from their XII.

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Junaid Siddique 3 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk) 4 Mohammad Ashraful (capt), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Naeem Islam, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza, 9 Abdur Razzak, 10 Shahadat Hossain, 11 Syed Rasel.

New Zealand have not announced their XII but are unlikely to make changes to a winning unit.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Jesse Ryder, 2 Brendon McCullum (wk), 3 Jamie How, 4 Scott Styris, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Jacob Oram, 7 Grant Elliott, 8 Daniel Vettori (capt), 9 Jeetan Patel, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Kyle Mills.

Stats & Trivia

Brendon McCullum has a strike-rate of 109.24 against Bangladesh, 21% higher than his career strike-rate.

Quotes

“We knew they are going to be a difficult opposition in their own conditions and they bowled very well to us early on. They did not allow us to score runs in this sort of flat wicket.”
Brendon McCullum gives due credit to Bangladesh.

“We are trying to figure out how he bats at this stage. I think the right-arm offspinner is a good option against him. If it spins out there it will be nice.”
Jamie Siddons works out how to dismiss Jacob Oram.

Source:Cricket News