Zimbabwe in comfort zone against Bangladesh

Visitors collapse after lunch on 3rd day.

HARARE:

Zimbabwe took a step towards winning their first Test after a six-year absence from cricket’s elite by taking a first-innings lead of 175 over Bangladesh on the third day of the one-off Test.

Having made 370 in their first-innings, the hosts bowled the tourists out for 287 with Brian Vitori, Ray Price and Christopher Mpofu taking the majority of the wickets. Vitori, a left-arm seamer, took four for 66 in 16 overs on his debut. Price took two for 34 with his usual aggressive spin while Mpofu weighed in with two for 72. Bangladesh found only two batsmen to make sizeable scores. Skipper Shakibal Hassan scored 68 while former captain Mohammad Ashraful extended his overnight 34 to 73.

Resuming on 107 for three, Bangladesh stumbled to 200 for five at lunch and failed to get close to the hosts’ total, losing their last five wickets for 97 runs giving Zimbabwe a healthy lead.

After tea, Zimbabwe came on to bat as Tino Mawoyo (35) and Vusi Sibanda (38) opened confidently but could not capitalise on their innings. There on, first-innings centurion Hamilton Masakadza, who came on number three, failed to reach double figures as he was caught and bowled by Shakib while Ryan price was leg-before to Abdur Razzaq after scoring only four runs.





Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2011.