Sakib al Hasan showed no sign of rustiness on his Test comeback to grab six wickets for 59 runs helping Bangladesh dismiss Zimbabwe for below-par 240 runs in the first innings of the first Test at Mirpur on Saturday. Sakib, who returned to Test cricket after serving out a ban for poor discipline, made good use of some unusual bounce offered by the Sher-e-Bangla wicket that left Zimbabwe batsmen nearly clueless.
Bangladesh were planning to trap Zimbabwe with the turn, which was aplenty on the wicket, but it was the in variable bounce that caused the maximum damage for the visiting side.
The wicket was tailor-made for Sakib, who was also benefitted by support from the other end, something which he rarely enjoyed as a bowler in his Test career.
Debutant leg-spinner Jubair Hossain claimed 2-58 runs while left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, who mostly relies on his flight, did his part to take a crucial wicket for 42 runs.
Together, the three spinners have accumulated nine wickets giving an indication that Bangladesh were largely successful in implementing their plans, at least on the opening day.
Shahadat Hossain accounted for the only wicket that went to a seamer in the first over of the match, which began with Zimbabwe opener Vusi Sibanda hitting a boundary off the first ball.
Shahadat’s overall tally of 1-45, however, cannot describe his bowling which was accurate if not perfect. Playing his first Test match since March 2013, Shahadat tested the Zimbabwe batsmen on quite a few occasions and was unlucky not to get more wickets.
Shahadat can curse Bangladesh’s fielding, which was lethargic to say at best, as couple of catches fell inches short of fieldsmen and on some occasions their efforts were simply not good enough.
Luckily, Bangladesh did not have to pay too much for their fielding lapses as spinners, who were introduced as early as eighth over in the innings, found one or other way to get rid of the batsmen.
Sakib bowled two maiden overs before striking in his third when Hamilton Masakadza holed out a catch at long-off to Jubair, the spinner’s first contribution on his Test debut.
Zimbabwe went into lunch with a respectable 77-2 but Jubair, who at 19 became the first specialist leg-spinner to play a Test for Bangladesh, struck in what was his only second over at the big stage, after the break.
He deceived Brandon Taylor with a delivery that landed short and later removed Sikandar Raza, the top scorer of Zimbabwe innings with 51, leaving the visitors in disarray.
Chigumbura threatened to take the momentum away but Sakib came to the Tigers’ rescue making him a catch of Mominul Haque at silly point.
Craig Ervine (34) and Regis Chakabva put 50 runs for the sixth wicket but there were no looking back for Bangladesh once Taijul separated the duo.
Sakib removed Panyangara to complete his 12th five-wicket haul, his first against Zimbabwe, where he added debutant Tafadzwa Kamungozi to wrap-up the Zimbabwean innings.
With this haul, Australia remains now the only side against whom Sakib did not get five or more wickets in a Test innings.
Bangladesh were 27-1 at close with Shamsur Rahman (eight not out) and Mominul (14 not out) at the crease. Tamim Iqbal was the batsman to be dismissed for five when Masakadza caught him
at second slip off Panyangara.
His dismissal gave Bangladesh just a sharp reminder, despite efforts from the spinners; they still needed to be brave with the bat if they are to push Zimbabwe in the remaining four days.
-With New Age input
