NZ coach expects flat pitch in 3rd ODI against Tigers

New Zealand coach Gary Stead is expecting a good batting track at the McLean Park in Napier for the third ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh tomorrow where the hosts will be vying to complete a clean-sweep.

The Kiwis have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ODI series after winning the second ODI by seven wickets in Nelson on Wednesday.

Bangladesh posted 291 in the match, thanks to Soumya Sarkar's career-best 169 – the highest ODI score for an Asian batsman against the Kiwis in New Zealand.

But the total proved to be insufficient in a flat surface at the Saxton Oval and the hosts chased the total comfortably with 22 balls to spare.

Stead said that the early strikes his bowlers got in the Bangladesh innings made all the difference in the contest.

"Soumya Sarkar played really well. I think the other day at Nelson they were probably 30-40  runs short then what they could've got. But I think that's credit to our bowlers and how we managed to take three wickets in the powerplay," Stead told reporters on Friday.

The Kiwi coach expects to see a similar surface in the third ODI but said his side is prepared to adapt if the pitch plays differently then expected.

"When the sun's out, it's usually nice to bat here. It's hard to know now, we'll have a look at it tomorrow. It looks as though it's hard underneath. If you get yourself in, it's about batting as long as you can and developing big partnerships. But there is no guarantee of that.

"What will happen tomorrow, who knows. We will look at how the game starts and you adapt to that."