Guptill & McCullum put New Zealand in charge

(BBC) Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum claimed superb centuries as New Zealand declared on 553-7 during the second day of the one-off Test with Bangladesh yesterday.

Resuming on 258-5, the pair attacked from the outset to power the hosts to 432-5 at lunch in Hamilton.

They shared a 339-run stand, a New Zealand record, for the sixth wicket, with McCullum going for 185 and Guptill reaching 189.

In reply, Bangladesh made 87-1 before bad light stopped play.

McCullum, playing in his 50th Test, hit 17 fours and a six in 272-ball innings for his highest Test score, before he fell to seamer Rubel Hossain to make the score 497-6.

Guptill soon followed, the 23-year-old attempting a pull shot off Hossain which caught the shoulder of his bat – wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim taking the catch.

But his marathon 310-ball innings – and maiden Test century – included 18 boundaries and one six and suggests the decision to move the right-hander down the order has been a good one.

Daryl Tuffey and Jeetan Patel added to New Zealand’s total before skipper Daniel Vettori made his declaration at tea.

The final session was disrupted by rain and bad light but Tamim Iqbal had time to claim a rapid half century as Bangladesh made a fine start to their first innings.

Vettori took the only wicket, tempting opener Imrul Kayes into edging to Ross Taylor in the slips for 28.

The visitors are trailing by 466 runs with nine wickets in hand.