ISLAMABAD - Bangladesh defeated Papua New Guinea (PNG) by 168 runs in the ICC Under-19 World Cup to reach in the final of Plate Championship on Tuesday at Palmerston North, New Zealand. After setting a challenging victory target of 254 runs, Bangladesh fast bowlers ripped through the PNG batting line-up, dismissing the Associate Member side for 85 inside 33 overs. PNG never recovered from a disastrous start, losing both its openers with only 15 runs on the board. Although John Reva and Tony Ura held on tenaciously for the third wicket, the pace slowed to a crawl as the pair took 67 balls to add 33 runs. The batsmen struggled against the medium-pace of Alauddin Babu and Shaker Ahmeds slow left-armers, both going for less than two an over. Ura and Jason Kila shared the top score of 17 but Uras was an embattled, painstaking innings from 47 balls. Man-of-the-match Nur Hossain cleaned up the order-order, taking 4-11 to go with the half-century he scored earlier in the day. Batting first, Bangladesh was all out for 253 in 49.4 overs after a shaky start. The PNG fast bowlers claimed the wickets of both the openers early on and the continued pressure left Bangladesh tottering at 125-6. At that stage, Tasamul Hoque and Nur fought back by putting on 80 for the sixth wicket. Hossain, batting at number-eight, top scored with 66 off 50 balls while Tasamul scored 43 off 53 balls. Jason Kilas off-spin troubled the Bangladesh batsmen and brought him tidy figures of 2-25, but support from the rest of the attack was slim. Meanwhile, in the seventh-eighth position play-off in Christchurch, host nation New Zealand restored some pride after a disappointing tournament, by pulling off a thrilling two wickets victory against England. Chasing 229 for victory, New Zealand got off to a rocky start with both openers dismissed in the first three overs. Captain Craig Cachopa and Corey Anderson then consolidated the innings with a solid 100-run partnership for the fourth wicket, but a cascade of middle-order wickets saw the home side floundering at 153-7. Harry Boam and Logan van Beek turned the innings around with a partnership of 57 for the eighth wicket, taking the side within sight of victory. Van Beek and Ben Wheeler saw the chase to its completion in 49.4 overs with some big hitting in the last two overs, van Beek finishing unbeaten on 51 from 46 deliveries. Earlier, England, put in to bat, made a steady start with openers Joe Root and Jos Buttler taking a cautious approach against the New Zealand seamers. Jack Manuel was the pick of the English batsmen, playing a controlled knock of 43 from 53 balls, punishing anything wide outside off-stump. Useful contributions down the order from Paul Best and Ben Stokes, along with a rapid 28 not out from Adam Ball, helped England through to 228-8. Tim Johnston was again New Zealands best bowler, taking 3-40 with his off-spinners and pinning England down in the middle-overs. Scores in brief: England v New Zealand at QEII Park, Christchurch (Super League Play-off Final 7th/8th) England 228-9, 50 overs (Jack Manuel 43, Joe Root 32; Tim Johnston 3-40, Ben Wheeler 3-45) New Zealand 232-8, 49.4 overs (Craig Cachopa 64, Logan van Beek 51 n.o., Corey Anderson 50; Matthew Dunn 3-37, Nathan Buck 3-65) New Zealand won by two wickets Man of the Match: Logan van Beek Bangladesh v Papua New Guinea at Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North (Plate Championship Semi 1) Bangladesh 253 all out, 49.4 overs (Nur Hossain 66, Saikat Ali 61, Tasamul Hoque 43; Jason Kila 2-25, John Reva 2-55, Raymond Haoda 2-65) Papua New Guinea 85 all out, 32.5 overs (Tony Ura 17, Jason Kila 17; Nur Hossain 4-11, Shaker Ahmed 2-7, Mahmudul Hasan 2-26) Bangladesh won by 168 runs Man of the Match: Nur Hossain Wednesdays fixtures: Super League Australia v Sri Lanka (semi-final), Bert Sutcliffe Oval; Gary Baxter, Brian Jerling, Tony Hill (third) Plate Championship: Hong Kong v Zimbabwe (13th/14th position play-off), Nelson Park, Napier; Buddhi Pradhan, Nadir Shah, Niels Bagh (third) Afghanistan v USA (15th/16th position play-off), McLean Park, Napier; Sarika Prasad, Shahul Hameed; Owen Chirombe (third)