Flay Tigers heavily after 6 years of Test exile
Zimbabwe’s first day on their return to Test cricket went according to script as Bangladesh bowlers fell flat and inspired little. The home side dominated proceedings at the Harare Sports Club, ending the Day One of the one-off Test on 264 for two, a total that could have been higher if not for two strokes of luck for the visitors.
Vusi Sibanda, with his maiden half-century after surviving a dropped catch by Imrul Kayes at second slip, and Hamilton Masakadza, hitting his fourth, displayed utmost care to their strokeplay on most occasions.
The more experienced of the duo, Masakadza, gave the Tigers very little chance in his composed unbeaten 88 off 202 balls with the help of seven boundaries and a six.
Sibanda, who played three Tests previously, hammered seven fours and a beautifully lofted straight six off Abdur Razzak in his 153-ball 78, but in one of his few brash moments, the calm right-hander gave Mushfiqur Rahim a simple caught-behind off a Rubel Hossain short, wide delivery that he would have left alone on another day.
The duo added 60 for the second wicket after the openers stuck together exactly a hundred runs. Tino Mawoyo, alongside Sibanda, blunted the three-man pace attack but the trio too bowled without much discipline.
The opening stand, particularly of Mawoyo, survived an easy run out chance at no score when the batsmen were almost at the same end. But Rubel’s throw missed the stumps at the bowler’s end and the back-up fieldsman had no chance to stop the ball.
Shafiul Islam bowled a decent first spell but it was more of a one-day length while at the other end, Robiul Islam was taken off after his second over was struck for three boundaries. It looked like a change too early as Rubel too, didn’t look impressive in his first longer-version match after 15 months.
The ineffectiveness of Rubel, Robiul and Shafiul forced Shakib into bringing himself as early as the twelfth over, which also helped gauge the surprisingly good turn on the wicket.
Almost at the stroke of lunch, debutant Mawoyo chose Rubel’s short, wide delivery to guide to deep point where Mahmudullah Riyad took the catch.
Shakib rotated his bowlers as well as he does in one-day cricket but none of the changes bore fruit as Abdur Razzak, playing in his ninth Test, didn’t give him the wicket he desired. After Rubel broke the Sibanda-Masakadza stand, skipper Brendan Taylor again stuck a solid stand, giving the 27-year-old Masakadza perfect support towards the end of day’s play. The skipper ended the day on 39 off 107 balls.
The dry surface that offered turn early from the first day could come to the advantage of Shakib and Razzak, though the latter was played out quite comfortably, getting carted for two sixes.
Shakib took the new ball at the very moment it was available but both men at the crease had shut up shop by that time, giving the pacemen no chance even off bad deliveries.
SCORES IN BRIEF
ZIMBABWE: First innings 264 for 2 at stumps (Mawoyo 43, Sibanda 78, Masakadza 88 not out, Taylor 40 not out; Rubel 2-58)
BANGLADESH: Shakib al Hassan (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Shahriar Nafeez, Robiul Islam.
-With The Daily Star input
