Fleming lauds bowler's efforts

"We lost two of our main strike bowlers, Michael Mason and James Franklin, to injury but to restrict them to 174 was a very good effort," said Fleming after the win Monday.

"Shane Bond got wickets, Jacob Oram picked up the slack at the top of the order, and Scott Styris bowled very well in the middle overs. It was nice to get into the position where we could think about run rate," the New Zealand captain was quoted as saying by the BBC Monday.

Styris picked up four wickets and Oram scalped three to bowl out Bangladesh for 174 runs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. In reply, a fine 102 not out by Fleming saw the Kiwis romp home with nine wickets in hand.

The New Zealand captain also said that the loss to Bangladesh in the warm-up game served as a wake-up call for his side.

"We learned a lesson in the warm-up games when Bangladesh rolled us over and, if anything, that set us up for the tournament," said Fleming.

"Playing them today, we were a lot more familiar with how they would attack us.

"Part of the reason for bowling first was we were not as convinced they can set a score as well as they can chase.

"That was probably evident in some of the shots they played and the pressure we were able to create.

Fleming and Hamish Marshall's unbroken second-wicket stand of 134 was also a boost to the Kiwis' net run-rate.

"At this stage we are not sure how important run rate will be in qualification for the semi-finals," Fleming conceded. "But if things don't go well for us in the next couple of weeks, then fourth and fifth place could be determined by that."

Fast bowler Bond, who took two for 15 in his 10-over spell, was chosen as Man of the Match - ahead of the claims of Styris, who took four for 43, and Fleming who hit an unbeaten hundred.

"The challenge for me is to keep this going until the end of the competition. The bowling unit as a whole is doing a good job, so that makes it easier for me," said Bond.

"On these sorts of wickets I need to keep putting the ball in the right areas, but I feel that I've done that."

(IANS)

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