ZIMBABWE Select XI were bundled all out inside a day, but Bangladeshis had no time to claim victory, with the two-day warm encounter ending in a draw at Takashinga Sports Club in Highfield, Harare today.
The visitors elected to bat yesterday after winning the toss and declared at the close of play on 313/2 in 90 overs.
Seamer Luke Jongwe got the locals off to a good start when he had Bangladeshis opener Shadman Islam caught behind by wicketkeeper Joylord Gumbie for a 30-ball duck in the 11th over.
However, the visitors recovered from 16-1 to 192-2 when Zimbabwe Select XI’s only other breakthrough courtesy of a caught and bowled effort from Brighton Chipungu to dismiss captain Mominul Haque after 60.3 overs.
Saif Hasan (65), Najmul Hossain Shanto (52) and Shakib Al Hasan (74) all retired out after clobbering half-centuries for their side.
Liton Das retired out on 37 runs while Mahmudullah finished the innings unbeaten on 40 when Haque called in the declaration.
Zimbabwe Select XI captain Timycen Maruma used nine bowlers, but all toiled all day for just two wickets.
The locals’ batting did not get going as they were packed back as early as the fourth over when opening batsman Milton Shumba was caught by Taskin Ahmed off Shoriful Islam for just two runs.
After 18 overs, it was 53-2 with the dismissal of Brian Mudzinganyama (16), who was trapped plum by Ebadat Hossain.
But before Mudzinganyama had even removed his pads, Takudzwanashe Kaitano (32) followed him back to the pavilion after being clean bowled by Shakib. The scorecard read 53-3 after 18.1 overs.
Maruma tried to rebuild the innings, but his captain’s knock was ended on 58 runs after Shakib caught him off the bowling of Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Wesley Madhevere contributed 28 runs while Tapiwa Mufudza was unbeaten on 15 as the locals finished their innings on 202 runs all out, Unlucky Nelson runs (111) behind the Bangladeshis.
Determined to add more runs on the board, the Bangladeshis could only go as far as 22 runs in 7.1 overs, with the match ending in a draw.
Shakib spun his way to three wickets for 34 runs in 12.5 overs. Miraz also picked three wickets, giving away 64 runs in 16 overs, while Islam picked two wickets.
Zimbabwe and Bangladesh lock horns in a one-off Test match at Harare Sports Club scheduled to begin on Wednesday.
