Bangladesh will be kicking themselves in their foot for wasting a very good chance to put Zimbabwe under pressure after they suffered three casual run outs to be dismissed for 254 runs in the first innings of the first Test on Sunday. Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah and Mominul Haque each scored a fifty to give Bangladesh a slender 14-run lead, but the home side could have been in much better position, had they
not suffered the run outs.
Zimbabwe took full advantage to restrict Bangladesh to a total that has little capacity to create any difference between the two teams. The visitors already reduced the gap to nine runs by reaching 5-0 in the two overs they got the chance to bat before the stumps.
It left the onus again on Bangladesh’s spinners, who must now confine Zimbabwe to a reasonable total or risk seeing the batsmen struggling to survive in a wearing pitch on the fourth or fifth day.
Bangladesh had their chances to widen the gap and give the bowlers more freedom as at least three batsmen – Mominul, Mahmudullah and Mushfiq – got a start and reached fifty before they threw it away.
Mominul was the first culprit, who showed a good temperament to get his sixth fifty in 10 Tests, before he did something that best suits a school boy, not any Test cricketer.
The 23-year old batsman attempted a single and reached the pitch at the non-striking end but did not care to place his bat, which cost him his wicket. Sikandar Raza hit the stumps with a direct throw to dismiss Mominul for 53.
Mominul shared 63 runs for the third wicket with Mahmudullah, who was at fault for another catastrophic run out after the break as he made a wrong call to see Sakib al Hasan departing for five.
Mahmudullah atoned for making his third fifty in as many Tests and just when he was expected to lead the innings, he left for 63 becoming the victim of an error of judgment.
The umpire initially gave him not out after Sikandar Raza’s off-break delivery hit him on the front foot, but Zimbabwe inevitably reviewed it to get the decision in their favour.
It ended his vigil 64-run fifth wicket partnership with Mushfiq, who looked solid until he miscued a pull shot to Craig Ervine at square leg off Panyangara for 64.
Shahadat Hossain was run out for a duck setting another example of school-boy like batsmanship as he was strolling at the crease after fending off a Panyangara delivery.
Forward short-leg fielder Ervine was quick to collect the ball to dislodge the bail leaving Shahadat run out. Shahadat saw Ervine making the attempt and placed his bat just on the line that left third umpire Billy Bowden without any choice but to declare him out.
Bangladesh could take the lead only after young Taijul Isalm made 19 runs coming at number eight.
Panyangara bowled him and then added last batsman Al-Amin Hossain to his tally to finish with 5-59, his maiden five-wicket haul, which folded Bangladesh’s innings.
-With New Age input
