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ZIMBABWE nosed ahead of Bangladesh after the second day’s play of the first Test in Sylhet with half-centuries from Brian Bennett and Sean Williams. Their lower order and tail also resisted to add 80 runs for the last four wickets that got them a lead of 82. They finished the day by breaking Bangladesh’s opening stand, and the hosts are still 25 runs behind.
Bangladesh’s solace came in the form of Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s first five-wicket haul at home in nearly two-and-a-half years. He finished with 5 for 52 after speedster Nahid Rana picked up three wickets, including those of the openers. Zimbabwe strung together small partnerships after the opening stand of 69, often dominating periods of play.
Bangladesh lost Shadman Islam in the evening for four in the fourth over, when a superb Blessing Muzarabani delivery had him edging to second slip. His opening partner Mahmudul Hasan Joy got a reprieve on six in the following over when wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo dropped a regulation chance to his right.
Mahmudul finished the day unbeaten on 28, while Mominul Haque was on 15 when play was called off at 5.33pm.
Rana earlier gave Bangladesh their first breakthrough when he banged in a bouncer towards Ben Curran’s chest. The left-hand opener only managed to tap it to short leg where Mominul completed the catch diving forward. It ended Zimbabwe’s impressive opening stand that lasted 16,5 overs.
Rana then bowled a fuller delivery to get rid of Bennett, the other opener. Bennett was piercing the off-side field regularly, hitting eight of his ten boundaries in the range between backward point and cover. But when he looked to cut another ball square, it led to his downfall as he edged one behind on 57.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz returned 5 for 52 but Zimbabwe still managed an 82-run lead.
Hasan Mahmud joined in the act with a peach of an inswinger against Nick Welch, who was bowled through the gate for two. Captain Craig Ervine and Williams, Zimbabwe’s most experienced pair, steadied things for the next hour.
They added 41 runs in 15 overs, before Rana had Ervine caught behind for eight.
It was another short ball that reared up high on Ervine, who couldn’t get his bat out of the way. The ball brushed the face of his bat and he was caught behind by Jaker Ali. Williams forged another promising stand, this time with Wessly Madhevere, in the course of which Williams reached his fourth Test 50. He did that in style too, sweeping Taijul Islam for a six and a four to reach the landmark.
The 48-run partnership however ended when Madhevere played on to a Khaled Ahmed delivery, on 24. Williams too couldn’t kick on, mistiming a straight hit against Mehidy, caught by a tumbling Mahmudul running back from mid-off. Williams bent down in disbelief as he looked very well set, having scored 59 off 108 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes.
Despite all their frontline batters back in the pavilion, Zimbabwe continued to fight. Mayavo made an enterprising 35 off 54 balls, including five fours, but he fell shortly after tea when Mehidy trapped him lbw. Wellington Masakadza played out 42 balls for his six and became Mehidy’s third victim, caught at cover.
The tall pair of Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava then took on the Bangladesh bowlers in a 36-run ninth-wicket stand. Muzarabani struck two fours and a massive six, over long-on, during his 17 off 16. Ngarava was unbeaten on 28 off 44 balls, including a lovely straight hit for a six off Mehidy. The offspinner finished things off when he had Muzarabani stumped and Victor Nyauchi caught in the covers, to complete his five-for. — ESPNCRICINFO/Sports Reporter
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