Kiwis in command

Brendon McCullum made 66 before New Zealand declared © Getty Images

New Zealand dominated the final two sessions against Bangladesh to quash any faint hopes the hosts had of nicking an unlikely win in what has effectively become a two-day Test.

After play was washed out for the first three days, and following a delay on Tuesday, the action finally got under way on day four and Bangladesh had the tourists on the ropes at lunch on 55 for three.

But Jesse Ryder, who fell nine runs short of his maiden ton, and Brendon McCullum (66) got the Black Caps back on track after lunch before captain Daniel Vettori declared on 262 for six.

Vettori then took three wickets in his only over of the evening to reduce Bangladesh to 13 for three before bad light stopped play.

When the conditions eventually allowed play to begin, the hosts won the toss and chose to field first.

And they could hardly have asked for a better start with Mashrafe Mortaza trapping Aaron Redmond lbw at the end of the third over as the New Zealand opener played forward with only 10 on the scoreboard.

Just two balls later and without a run added, Jamie How followed Redmond back to the pavilion when he was bowled between bat and pad by Mahbubul Alam.

Ryder and Ross Taylor steadied the ship following the double blow and moved the total onto 49 for two through just over 12 overs until Taylor was bowled by Shahadat Hossain in his only over of the morning session.

New Zealand managed to get firmly back on track after lunch, however, with Ryder and wicketkeeper McCullum sharing a 137-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Daniel Vettori took three wickets in a single over to leave Bangladesh reeling at stumps on the fourth day

Ryder completed his half-century in 78 balls with six fours, with McCullum soon following suit off 86 balls with seven boundaries and one six.

The stand came to an end when Ryder was caught at square-leg by Mehrab Hossain Jr off the bowling of Abdur Razzak, nine runs short of his ton.

McCullum fell shortly after tea, caught at midwicket by Mohammad Ashraful off the bowling of Shakib Al Hasan for 66, before Vettori was bowled off an inside edge from Ashraful.

Daniel Flynn finished unbeaten on 35 alongside Grant Elliott when the declaration came on 262.

Then Vettori took centre-stage with the ball, snaring wickets with the first, third and final balls of an amazing over.

First he had Junaid Siddique stumped by McCullum for four, and then Ashraful and Rajin Saleh were trapped lbw playing forward for ducks.

Opener Tamim Iqbal remains at the crease with Hossain Jr, on eight and nought respectively.

New Zealand lead the two-Test series 1-0 following their three-wicket victory in Dhaka.