Bangladesh ‘A’ team suffered a 70-run defeat against their New Zealand counterparts in the first four-day match of the two-match series at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Resuming the day on 216-5, the visitors could add 41 runs before being bowled out for 257, thanks to Nick Kelly’s well-crafted 122 off 207 to help New Zealand set a target of 246 runs.
In reply, Bangladesh managed 175 in 65.2 overs after a brilliant performance by the visiting spinners Adithya Ashok and Jayden Lennox, who shared eight wickets between them in the second innings.
Earlier, Anamul Haque Bijoy made a brisk start but could survive only eight balls, as he edged Josh Clarkson, who took 4-44 in the first innings.
Bangladesh’s top order crumbled further with Mahmudul Hasan Joy (4) and Amite Hasan (5) falling cheaply.
Zakir Hasan and Mahidul Islam Ankon tried to steady their innings with a 48-run partnership after finding themselves struggling at 46-3, until Ashok made the breakthrough.
Zakir made a fighting 50 off 89, including six fours and a six, before getting dismissed by Ashok, who was the main architect of their victory.
However, Mahidul fought alone at the other end and formed a 50-run stand with skipper Nurul Hasan, which kept them in the contest.
But the skipper, who scored a century in the first innings, had to depart for 27 runs after being trapped lbw by Lennox, and Nayeem Hasan (6) was removed by leg-spinner Ashok.
Bangladesh could never recover, as Ashok ran havoc down the order on a wearing fourth-day pitch, accompanied by left-arm spinner Lennox.
Ashok finished with figures of 5-54, including a triple strike in a single over that sent Hasan Murad (15), Anamul Haque (0), and Ebadot Hossain (0).
Lennox then got Khaled Ahmed to wrap up the match while Mahidul remained unbeaten on 57 runs, facing 167 balls with six boundaries.
The second four-day match is scheduled on May 21 at the same venue.
Bangladesh ‘A’, earlier, clinched the one-day series 2-1.