New Age | Zimbabwe boss Bangladesh at Harare

Zimbabwe took firm control on the opening day of the only Test against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.

The host were just four runs behind of their Bangladesh’s first-innings total with nine wickets in hand after Bangladesh were dismissed for a mere 140 in 47.2 overs.

Mominul Haque made 60, while Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto scored 20 and 19 runs, respectively, as the others fell before even reaching the double figures, as Bangladesh lost their last eight wickets for only 27 runs.

This was Bangladesh’s third lowest score against Zimbabwe.  Left-arm pacer Newman Nyamhuri took four for 61, while captain Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, and Brad Evans each took two for the hosts. 

An 89-run opening partnership between Innocent Kaia and Ben Curran, where they scored at 5.45 per over, then saw Zimbabwe close to parity in quick time. 

Bangladesh pacers couldn’t make early incisions like the Zimbabwean did before Khaled Ahmed got rid of Curran for 42 from 51 balls.

However, Kaia, who remained unbeaten on 76 from 108 balls at the end of the day, went on to add an unbeaten 47-run partnership with Brendan Taylor. 

Earlier, the wicket was offering something for the pacers, and the hosts utilised those after choosing to field first, but the visitors were as guilty as ever with poor application with the bat. 

Bangladesh opted to play an extra batter in debutant Amite Hasan, slotted at seven, and kept wicket in the absence of injured Litton Das at the expense of a bowler, while handing a debut to Towhid Hridoy as well. 

Both had forgettable first outings as they fell for three and four amid a collapse. 

Mahmudul Hasan was the first batter to depart when he was caught behind in the seventh over off Nyamhuri before Shadman Islam was caught at slip. 

However, Mominul and captain Shanto were going well in their partnership of 77 runs, on either side of the lunch break. 

But with Mominul falling off Nyamhuri, it all went downhill for Bangladesh. From 113-2 in 33.3 overs, they were 140 all out in 47.2 overs, handing Zimbabwe a huge advantage in the game early on. 

They grabbed that with both hands to put Bangladesh on the back foot on the very first day of their return to Test cricket after an eight-month break.