Das, Mahmudullah help BD recover

HARARE: Bangladesh recovered from two difficult situations to finish the first day of the one-off Test on 294 for 8 in Harare on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe, who dominated the first two sessions by reducing the visitors to 132 for 6, conceded the early advantage by thrusting a slow period upon them in the post-tea session.

They took two late wickets, notably removing Liton Das on 95, but couldn’t quite put the finishing touches as the day’s play was called off after 83 overs amid fading light after.

After Blessing Muzarabani and Victor Nyauchi put them in trouble, the visitors were brought back to life with a 138-run seventh wicket partnership between Das and Mahmudullah. Against Zimbabwe it was Bangladesh’s first century stand - and the highest by any pair at the Harare Sports Club - for the seventh wicket.

Das would rue playing one too many pull shots against Donald Tiripano shortly before the second new ball was available. He was caught at the fine-leg boundary after crossing his previous Test best score of 94. Tiripano trapped Mehidy Hasan Miraz lbw off the next ball. Zimbabwe gave away much of their momentum in a period they used part-timers Milton Shumba and Roy Kaia for 24 overs.

The deployed the duo with a view to giving their four-pronged pace attack a break, as well as recovering their poor over rate. In the first four hours, they had bowled only 49 overs.

Score Board

Bangladesh won toss

Bangladesh

Saif Hassan b Muzarabani 0

Shadman Ismal c Taylor b Ngarava 23

Najmul c Myers b Muzarabani 2

Mominul Haque c Myers b Nyauchi 70

Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Muzarabani 11

Shakib c Chakabva b Nyauchi 3

Liton Das c Nyauchi b Tiripano 95

Mahmudullah Riyad not out 54

Mahedi Hasan lbw b Tiripano 0

Taskin Ahmed not out 13

Extras (b9, lb3, nb10, w1) 23

Total (8 wkts, 83 overs) 294

Did not bat: Ebadot Hossain

Fall: 1-4 (Saif), 2-8 (Najmul), 3-68 (Shadman), 4-106 (Mushfiqur), 5-109 (Shakib), 6-132 (Mominul), 7-270 (Das), 8-270 (Mahedi)

Bowling: Muzarabani 16-3-48-3, Ngarava 15-5-36-1 (3nb), Tiripano 13-3-36-2 (5nb), Nyauchi 11-1-69-2 (2nb), Myers 3-1-13-0, Shumba 18-4-53-0, Kaia 6-0-27-0

Zimbabwe: Takudzwwanashe Kaitano, Milton Shumba, Brendan Taylor (capt), Dion Myers, Timycen Maruma, Roy Kaia, Regis Chakabva (wkt), Donald Tiripano, Victor Nyauchi, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA), Langton Rusere (ZIM)