Wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum hit his highest Test score to help New Zealand to take control after day three of the first Test against Bangladesh on Thursday.

Bangladesh suffered early blows in the second innings losing two quick wickets and slumping to 41-2 at stumps, still trailing by 184 runs.

Nafis Iqbal was unbeaten on 24 with Rajin Saleh yet to score at the close of play.

McCullum made 143 in New Zealand first innings total of 402 in reply to Bangladesh's 177.

Left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori then took two quick wickets to reduce the home side to 41 for two at the close.

McCullum was ably assisted by the tailenders after New Zealand resumed on 207 for five.

After Jacob Oram had departed for 23, Vettori (23), James Franklin (23, Paul Wiseman (28) and Ian Butler (15 not out) kept Bangladesh in the field until just after the tea interval.

Left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique was the most successful bowler with figures of six for 122, his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests, to become the first Bangladesh bowler to take fifty wickets in Test cricket.

McCullum was again to the fore when Bangladesh batted again, catching Javed Omar off Vettori for 14. Vettori followed up by holding a return catch to dismiss Hannan Sarkar for one.

Scoreboard:

Bangladesh first innings: 177 (Mohammad Ashraful 67; J.Franklin 5-28)

New Zealand first innings: (overnight 207-5)
M.Richardson c Khaled Mashud b Mohammad Rafique 15
M.Sinclair lbw b Mohammad Rafique 76
S.Fleming c Khaled Mashud b Manjural Islam Rana 29
S.Styris c Rajin Saleh b Manjural Islam Rana 2
N.Astle c Manjural Islam Rana b Mohammad Rafique 11
J.Oram c Manjural Islam Rana b Mohammad Rafique 23
B.McCullum c Hannan Sarkar b Mohammad Rafique 143
D.Vettori c Nafees Iqbal b Manjural Islam Rana 23
J.Franklin c Rajin Saleh b Tapash Baisya 23
P.Wiseman b Mohammad Rafique 28
I.Butler not out 15

Extras (nb-2 lb-5 w-4 b-3) 14

Total (all out, 145.1 overs) 402

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-97, 3-99, 4-122, 5-139, 6-223, 7-294, 8-351, 9-371

Bowling: Tapash Baisya 28-4-112-1, Tareq Aziz 12-1-59-0 (nb-2, w-3), Mohammad Rafique 59.1-18-122-6, Manjural Islam Rana 42-12-84-3 (w-1), Rajin Saleh 1-0-4-0, Alok Kapali 2-0-6-0, Mohammad Ashraful 1-0-7-0

Bangladesh second innings:
Nafees Iqbal not out 24
Javed Omar c McCullum b Vettori 14
Hannan Sarkar c & b Vettori 1
Rajin Saleh not out 0

Extras (b-1 nb-1) 2

Total (for two wickets, 21 overs) 41

Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-33

Bowling: Oram 5-2-6-0, Franklin 5-1-14-0 (nb-1), Butler 4-1-8-0, Vettori 5-3-4-2, Wiseman 2-0-8-0