Harare Sports Club
MAHMUDULLAH Riyad’s unbeaten career-best Test century helped Bangladesh dominate day two of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe here today.
A record ninth-wicket partnership of 191 runs between Mahmudullah and Taskin Ahmed flattened Zimbabwe in glorious batting conditions.
The new ball that was three overs old did not do much in the morning as Zimbabwe expected to clean up the tail.
Harare Sports Club track had flattened out, allowing batsmen to play their shots as there was little or no movement for the seamers compared to the first day.
Blessing Muzarabani was tasked with cleaning up the tail with the extra incentive to get the last two Bangladesh wickets to get his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests.
However, he was kept at bay by the Tigers’ pair as they remained patient and pushed for more runs.
All the Zimbabwe fast bowlers were guilty of bowling the wrong length, especially to the number 10, Ahmed, who looked comfortable at the crease.
The Chevrons lacked patience and wanted to take a wicket with every ball instead of setting up the batsmen in true Test cricket style.
They did not bowl the full length enough to get the tail-ender driving, and it took them almost a session to start bowling the short ball, which generally troubles the low order batsmen.
When opportunities presented themselves, the Chevrons were unable to seize the initiative. Richard Ngarava got Ahmed to drive away from his body and edged one to second slip, and Milton Shumba failed to hold on to a simple chance.
Mahmudullah continued to accumulate runs as the Zimbabwe fielders’ heads began to drop.
Captain Brendan Taylor rotated his bowlers trying to create an opening, but Mahmudullah remained resolute and got to his ton a few overs before lunch.
His celebration told a big story, one where he reminded the selectors that he is a Test player, held his white sleeve, signalling to his teammates as he celebrated that milestone.
At the other end, Ahmed batted like a top-order batsman, and he took a liking to Muzurabani, whom he despatched to the boundary each time he bowled too full.
The visitors went to the lunch break without losing a wicket and, more importantly, having added 100 runs to their overnight total.
After lunch, it was Ahmed’s turn to raise his bat to the dressing room as he got to his maiden Test half-century.
Zimbabwe got another chance to dismiss Ahmed thereafter, but Dion Myers made a big meal out when he had plenty of time to aim at the stumps, with the batsman having given up on getting back into the crease on time.
Taylor’s men eventually got the much-needed breakthrough after a session and a half. Ahmed could not resist a flighted delivery from Shumba and tried to hit him out off the ground but was bowled out for 75, a knock that had seven boundaries.
Their partnership of 191 fell four runs short of the all time record for the ninth wicket in the history of Test cricket which was set by Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox against Pakistan in 1998.
After Ahmed’s dismissal, Mahmudullah upped the ante and reached his highest Test score of 150, which included 17 boundaries and one maximum.
Muzarabani wrapped up the Bangladesh innings as they were bowled out for 468, with the towering seamer ending with four wickets for 95 runs.
Zimbabwe opened the batting with Shumba and debutant Takudzwanaishe Kaitano. The pairs started off watchful, with Kaitano getting off the mark in international cricket with a streaky boundary in the first over.
The wicket had flattened out further, making it a batting paradise.
Shumba, who has tweaked his technique by opening up his stance a bit more, was the chief enforcer in the opening partnership as they recorded a half-century for the first wicket.
The new stance allowed Shumba to score many singles, which would have been dot balls in the past.
Kaitano started off unsure which balls to leave, but because the ball was not doing too much on the surface, he got away with it and settled in nicely, allowing Shumba to score in his third Test match.
Shumba used the sweep shot to good effect against Shakib Al Hassan and scored three boundaries off him to into the 40’s.
Just as it seemed as if he would get to his half-century and get his team to the close of play without losing a wicket, Shumba played one too many sweep shots against Shakib. He missed a full delivery to be given out leg before wicket for 41 from 82 balls, including seven boundaries.
Taylor came in at number three, and he meant business by taking the attack on the opposition.
He was not afraid to go the aerial route against the spinners and did not let them settle into a rhythm on a track that did not offer any turn.
Zimbabwe scored 114 runs in the one session they batted for the loss of Shumba.
Zimbabwe trail Bangladesh by 354 runs at stumps, with Taylor unbeaten on 37 from 46 balls and Kaitano 33 from 117 balls.
The match continues on day three, with the hosts looking to emulate Bangladesh by piling more runs without losing any wickets.
