CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand completed a 3-0 whitewash in the one-day international series against Bangladesh after a three-wicket victory in Christchurch today.

Imrul Kayes struck his maiden one-day century as the Tigers posted 241-9 in their quest for a first tour win. In reply, Martin Guptill hit run-a-ball 91 with nine fours and three sixes but the Kiwis slipped from 195-4 to 210-7, as Shakib Al Hasan struck. The slow left-armer finished with 4-33 but the Kiwis won with 31 balls left.

Bangladesh opener Kayes struck 11 fours in his 101 and lasted until the 48th over before he was bowled by an arm ball of yorker length from the ever shrewd New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori. The 31-year-old left-arm spinner took 3-42 in his 251st one-day international to take his career haul to 262.

Brendon McCullum gave New Zealand a typically fluent start, pulling Shafiul Islam over square-leg for sixes in both of his opening overs. After he got an inside edge on to his stumps attempting a slog sweep in the sixth over, Guptill continued the impressive scoring rate, pushing down the ground stylishly for four off only his second delivery, and clipping over mid-on for four more three balls later.

Guptill soon hit Rubel Hossain for three successive boundaries as New Zealand amassed 73-1 by the end of the first 10-over powerplay. Wickets fell around him, however, and Bangladesh should have removed Vettori when he was on six, which would have made it 108-4 in the 20th over. Mushfiqur Rahim failed to pouch a thin edge off spinner Naeem Islam, and after sweeping Mahmudullah for six, Vettori was dropped again when 26 when the ball slipped through the boundary fielder’s fingers for four.

In an eventful over he swept another four before Aftab dived to his left in the deep to pouch a sweep. Guptill, hitting the ball with precision launched Shakib high over long-off for six but in the 35th over was caught on the long-off boundary. Shakib ousted Neil Broom with an arm ball and in the next over after swiping Naeem over long-off for six Jacob Oram got a leading edge to mid-wicket. There were no further alarms for the Kiwis, however, as James Franklin and Ian Butler shared an unbroken stand of 34.