ZIMBABWE edged out Bangladesh on a thrilling first day of the Isphahani Test match series as the Tigers finished 285 for 8.
Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque won the toss and decided to bat on a surface with a bit of grass on it, with stand-in captain Brendan Taylor saying he would have bowled first.
Towering seamer Blessing Muzarabani struck with the fifth delivery of the day, bowling Saif Hassan through the gate for a duck.
Muzarabani was at it again as he produced a beauty of a delivery to Najmul Hossain, who could only fend it to debutant Dion Myers at gulley.
Bangladesh were eight for two after five overs, and Zimbabwe were in the driving seat.
Shadman Islam and his captain repaired the damage sharing a 60-run stand for the third wicket.
Islam lost his concentration on 23 as he slashed at a Richard Ngarava delivery without getting to the pitch of the ball and could only find the safe pair of hands of Taylor at first slip.
Haque continued with his beautiful stroke play as wickets tumbled around him and was joined at the crease by the experienced campaigner in Mushfiqur Rahim.
The pair managed to see out the remaining eight overs before lunch without further damage.
Haque, who got the measure of the wicket better than his teammates, managed to get to a well-deserved half-century at a healthy strike rate just after lunch.
He should have been dismissed soon after getting to that landmark when he chipped a Muzarabani slower ball to Ngarava at mid-on, but the left-arm seamer was caught napping and could not even get to the ball, and a simple chance went begging.
However, there was no way Muzararabani was going to be denied his third wicket. He bowled an in swinger to Rahim, who shouldered his arms to a ball that would have clipped the top of the bails, and umpire Langton Rusere had no hesitation but to give him out because he did not offer any shot.
One wicket brought another, and this time Nyauchi, who had probed all morning without success, was rewarded with the big wicket of Shakib Al Hasan, who went fishing outside off stump and feathered one to wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva and Zimbabwe were bossing the second session of the day.
The Chevrons were pumped up, and Haque continued riding on his luck as he was dropped by Muzarabani in his follow-through when he was on 60.
The Bangladesh skipper added ten more runs to his total before Nyauchi delivered another significant breakthrough for his captain as Haque tried to cut a good length delivery but could only find Myers at gulley.
With the fall of the Tigers captain, the Asian side were teetering at 132 for 6.
If one could be a little critical with Taylor’s captaincy, Zimbabwe did not go for the kill once Bangladesh were six down.
Instead, they allowed the visitors to start rebuilding again with the experienced duo of Mamdullah, and Lyton Das started knocking around singles and putting the bad ball away.
Zimbabwe went into the Test match with four seamers and no specialist spinner.
Once the part-time left-arm spinner Milton Shumba was introduced, the two batsmen started playing freely and with each passing over, the Tigers were crawling back into the match.
Das was the chief aggressor punishing every loose ball and was the first to get to his half-century.
They shared a partnership of 138 for the 7th wicket and rescued their team from total collapse.
Das, who was looking good for his maiden Test century, perished on 95 after he dragged his pull shot straight into the hands of Nyauchi, who was fielding at fine leg off the bowling of Donald Tiripano.
Tiripano had two wickets in two balls when he trapped Mehidy Hasan lbw, and the game had turned on its head again just as Bangladesh were looking at sharing the honours on day one.
Zimbabwe took the new ball once available but could not wipe out the tail, with Mahmudullah finishing the day unbeaten on 54 when stumps were drawn.
The Chevrons will require two early wickets tomorrow and try to surpass Bangladesh’s first innings total on a track that is assisting the fast bowlers.
Bangladesh will feel they missed the trick by only selecting two fast bowlers on a wicket that has enough movement for the seamers, a significant break from the slow wicket prepared for the Pakistan series.
It will be a big day for Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Myers to score runs for their team on their debut.
