CHITTAGONG (Bangladesh), Oct 14: Ross Taylor hit a fighting hundred to help New Zealand beat Bangladesh by 79 runs in the third and final One-day International here on Tuesday for a 2-1 win in the three-match series.

The 24-year-old Taylor, who scored 103 for his third one-day century, carried New Zealand to a decent 249-7 in 50 overs before the visitors restricted Bangladesh to 170-8.

Bangladesh were seeking their first series win over a major Test playing country before a 14,000 capacity crowd at the Divisional Stadium, but it was the tourists who took the honours.

“We would have loved to make it 3-0 but a win is a win,” said New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori.

“Taylor set up the win and had we not lost (Jacob) Oram early we were targetting 300 runs. But 250 was a decent target,” said Vettori.

In reply, only Tamim Iqbal (35) batted with authority for the hosts as paceman Kyle Mills initiated the slump by removing opener Junaed Siddique (one) before Oram dismissed debutant Imrul Kayes (12) and skipper Mohammad Ashraful (eight) in his incisive five-over first spell.

Off-spinner Jeetan Patel then took over, dismissing dangerous-looking local boy Iqbal and then accounting for Shakib Al Hasan (one) to end all hopes of Bangladesh successfully chasing the target.

From 98-7, Naeem Islam (46 not out) and Abdur Razzak (28) gave the score some respectability but it only delayed the inevitable.

“From a good position of 49-1 we lost four wickets,” Bangladesh’s Australian coach Jamie Siddons said. “We did the same in the second match where we lost crucial wickets and spurned a chance to win the series there. Taylor showed how our batsmen should have batted.”

Earlier, it was Taylor who was the hero for New Zealand after the visitors won the toss and batted.

The tall right-hander put on 125 runs for the third wicket with Jamie How (73) to rescue New Zealand from the early loss of openers Jesse Ryder (three) and Brendon McCullum (six).

Taylor hit five fours and four towering sixes in his 119-ball knock, finally falling in the 47th over, caught behind off paceman Mashrafe Mortaza’s full toss.

Oram, who scored 57 and 75 not out in the first two matches, was caught at deep mid-wicket for just three, while Scott Styris fell for 12 but Taylor continued the good work.

Vettori (19) and Mills (18) remained not out.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:

J.D. Ryder b Rasel 3

B.B. McCullum lbw b Mashrafe 6

J.M. How lbw b Naeem 73

L.R.P.L. Taylor c Mushfiqur b Mashrafe 103

S.B. Styris lbw b Shakib 12

J.D.P. Oram c Tamim b Shakib 3

D.R. Flynn c Naeem b Razzak 5

D.L. Vettori not out 19

K.D. Mills not out 18

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-3) 7

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 249

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-13, 3-138, 4-172, 5-179, 6-201, 7-219.

DID NOT BAT: T.G. Southee, J.S. Patel.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 10-2-50-2; Syed Rasel 10-0-40-1; Abdur Razzak 10-0-52-1, Shakib Hasan 10-0-41-2; Naeem Islam 8-0-50-1 (1w); Shahadat Hossain 2-0-12-0 (2w).

BANGLADESH:

Tamim Iqbal c McCullum b Patel 35

Junaed Siddique c Ryder b Mills 1

Imrul Kayes c McCullum b Oram 12

Mohammad Ashraful b Oram 8

Shakib Al Hasan c Ryder b Patel 1

Naeem Islam not out 46

Mushfiqur Rahim c How b Southee 15

Mashrafe Mortaza c McCullum b Mills 9

Abdur Razzak c McCullum b Ryder 27

Shahadat Hossain not out 12

EXTRAS (W-4) 4

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 170

FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-49, 3-49, 4-57, 5-59, 6-77, 7-98, 8-144.

DID NOT BAT: Syed Rasel.

BOWLING: Mills 8-1-24-2; Southee 10-0-40-1 (3w); Patel 10-3-29-2; Oram 8-2-16-2; Vettori 10-0-39-0 (1w); Ryder 3-0-16-1; Flynn 1-0-6-0.

RESULT: New Zealand won by 79 runs to win series 2-1.

UMPIRES: Enamul Hoque (Bangladesh) and D.J. Harper (Australia).

TV UMPIRE: Akhtaruddin Shaheen (Bangladesh).

MATCH REFEREE: J. Srinath (India).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Ross Taylor.

MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Jacob Oram.—AFP