Mominul fifty lifts Bangladesh to 167-6 at tea

DHAKA— Skipper Mominul Haque came up with resistance amid the listless batting of others batsmen as Bangladesh reached 167-6 at tea on the opening day of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club today.

With Bangladesh in tricky position, Mominul struck 70 off 92, cracking 13 boundaries to keep the side on track still.

At the second interval of the day, Liton Das was batting on 26 with Mahmudullah Riyad on 14.

Coming to play the Test as absolute favourtie, Bangladesh made a disastrous start after opting to bat first.

Zimbabwe pacers scythed down the Bangladesh top order with Blessing Muzurabni leading the way. Muzurabani ended the session with 3-27 and got apt support from fellow pacer Victor Nyauchi who claimed 2-63.

Bangladesh lost opener Saif Hasan for naught in the fifth ball of the innings when Blessing Muzurabani rattled his stump with a searing delivery.

Before Bangladesh recovered from the loss of Saif, Muzurabni again struck—this time took the outside edge of Nazmul Hossain Shanto for 2 with a back of length delivery.

Those two dismissals left Bangladesh to a miserable 8-2 in fifth over.

Mominul Haque and Shadman Islam halted Zimbabwe’s march, with a patient batting show, that saw them added 60 runs for the third wicket stand.

But Shadman who struggled against the moving deliveries finally found his luck run out as he edged one of length delivery from left arm fast bowler Richard Ngarava to the first slip for 23.

After the dismissal of Shadman, Bangladesh received the biggest blow, losing two stalwarts Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan in the space of just five balls.

While Mushfiqur was trapped leg-before for 11 by Muzurabani after offering no shot, Shakib played a rash shot off fast bowler Victor Nyauchi to edge behind the wicket for 3.

Nyauchi also got the better of Mominul Haque who perished to a cut shot, leaving Bangladesh 132-6.

Liton and Mahmudullah then played with patience to see out the session.

Earlier Bangladesh received a blow when senior opener Tamim Iqbal failed to regain the match fitness. Bangladesh also drafted Mahmudullah Riyad in the first XI and included two pacers in the line up, axing Abju Jayed Rahi, who was the most successful pacer for the country in the last two years.

The first two sessions of the game however proved the pitch remains the pace-friendly, which Zimbabwe pacers utilized in excellent way.BSS