McCullum knocks fight out of Tigers

Cricket365
September 21, 2012

New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum became the only batsman to hit two T20 centuries when he recorded 123 against Bangladesh at Pallekele, the Black Caps making 191 for three in their innings and winning by 59 runs in the end.

New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum became the only batsman to hit two T20 centuries when he recorded 123 from just 58 balls against Bangladesh at Pallekele, the Black Caps making 191 for three in their innings and winning by 59 runs in the end.

Bangladesh never had a chance of chasing the score and could only record 132 for eight, with Kyle Mills and Tim Southee taking three wickets each. Nasir Hossain was the lone resister, hitting 50 off 39 balls and showing some grit as his partners tumbled.

McCullum's knock was a superb display of fire power, especially against the much-feared spinners, and he added to his previous ton of 116 not out, scored against Australia in 2010. His innings saw him smite 11 fours and seven sixes, making him the most prolific boundary hitter, run-getter and centurion in the format.

New Zealand's innings started off badly after being put in to bat, when opener Martin Guptill succumbed to Abdur Razzak in his first over. This brought McCullum, and he wasted no time getting started. hitting a number of boundaries to quickly move the total past 50.

James Franklin, opening the batting to combat the spinners, wasn't shy about playing his shots either. He and McCullum put on a 50 partnership, and though he played the more sedate knock, he was soon into the 20s and New Zealand were 75 for one after 10 overs.

McCullum's fifty, his second in two matches following on from the 91 he made against India before the tournament, came off 28 balls, courtesy of a four off Ziaur Rahman.

The partnership was finally broken in the 15th over, when Franklin tried to smash Mashrafe Mortaza, who had been expensive, for another boundary, but could only find Elias Sunny on the deep square leg ropes, the score on 113.

Rather than sending big-hitter Jacob Oram in to bat, New Zealand sent skipper Ross Taylor to the middle and he struggled to get going right away. Luckily, McCullum kept his blade flashing as he recorded the highest score in the tournament to date, beating Shane Watson's now meagre 51.

Bangladesh had a chance to dismiss McCullum at the death, but Mortaza dropped the tracer bullet at mid off, and though it went straight to him he could not hold on, leaving the batsman free to record his century.

The final over saw 16 runs come off it as McCullum raced to the best T20 score ever, beating Richard Levi and Chris Gayle's previous score of 117, but he could not end unbeaten as he was caught in the deep off the final ball.

Bangladesh needed to go at 10 runs per over from the get-go, but were soon on the back foot with the loss of two wickets. Tamim Iqbal and Shakib both fell to Mills in his first two overs, caught by Guptill and Kane Williamson respectively, the score on 19 for two.

McCullum's only blight in the match was a dropped catch off a simple chance in the fourth over of Oram, the ball slipping through his gloves as Mushfiqur Rahim nicked a top edge.

It wasn't a costly drop though, as Williamson again received the catch off Mills, Rahim skying one high in the air for the youngster to take on the long on boundary. This left the Tigers on 33 for three and in danger of not even reaching McCullum's score, let alone the target.

Bangladesh lost five further wickets cheaply, including one for the other McCullum brother Nathan, and Williamson bagged three catches, the most by a fielder in the tournament so far.