ZIMBABWE BOWLED OUT WITH 200 RUN LEAD

Mluleki Nkala and Brian Murphy were obviously under instructions to squeeze out as many runs as they could, and they applied themselves diligently to the task some of the top order should have done. Both passed their Test highest scores, and Nkala made 47 before being another batsman to be bounced out, caught this time by the keeper.

There was a brief but entertaining last-wicket stand between Murphy (30) and Brighton Watambwa (4 not out) before the former was caught at short leg off Naimur Rahman. Zimbabwe were all out for 457, a lead of exactly 200, and tea was taken. Manjural Islam took six wickets for 81 on his debut, which was also the best for Bangladesh in their two-Test career.

ZIMBABWE EXTEND LEAD AS FLOWER AND STREAK HIT HALF-CENTURIES

Bangladesh took the second new ball immediately, while Zimbabwe responded with much more enterprise than they had shown the previous evening. The visitors were missing Khaled Mashud, who twisted his ankle badly in the lethal pre-play warm-ups, and Mehrab Hossain substituted behind the stumps.

The 300 soon came up in the 89th over. Streak enjoyed a life in the slips when on 39, and ran quickly through the forties to his fifth Test 50. The highest of these had been 54, but he had obviously set his sights on something more ambitious this time – no doubt a century. Unfortunately for him when on 67 he pushed a firm catch into the covers off Manjural Islam, while debutant Andy Blignaut was caught and bowled first ball off a leading edge. Zimbabwe were 353 for seven and Manjural had taken five wickets on his debut.

Grant Flower was rather slower to reach his half-century, and he and Nkala dug in so deeply that one would have thought Zimbabwe were battling to save the follow-on.

WHITTALL COMPLETES CENTURY AS ZIMBABWE TAKE CHARGE

Bangladesh’s best chance came with Whittall on 79, when he appeared to be fortunate to have the third umpire rule him not out by the narrowest of margins when he tried to steal a single. Flower, the consummate professional, always looked likely to equal Everton Weekes’ Test record of seven consecutive fifties, which came with a trademark back-foot cut backward of point. As usual, this was the most prolific area of the field for him and the Bangladeshis quite failed to restrict him.

Whittall then reached his fourth Test century, although it came with a mistimed pull wide of mid-wicket that just carried for four. It also brought up the 200, in the 48th over. Commendably, but perhaps unrealistically, the Bangladeshis kept relatively attacking fields, with no more than one or two men in the deep.

BANGLADESH TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CARELESS ZIMBABWE BATTING

Bangladesh added just one run to their overnight score of 256 for nine (to last man Monjurul Islam) before Mohammad Sharif (0) snicked Andy Blignaut to Alistair Campbell at first slip to end the innings. Blignaut therefore became the first Zimbabwean to take five wickets (for 73 runs) on his Test debut, although John Traicos took five for 86 in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test, having previously played in three Tests for South Africa.

Zimbabwe, and Guy Whittall in particular, got off to a flying start with the nervous Bangladeshi bowlers taking their time to find length and direction. Dion Ebrahim found it difficult to adjust on his debut and scored only two before snicking left-armer Monjurul Islam to the keeper. Then Stuart Carlisle (3) played the same bowler on to his stumps through the gate, reducing Zimbabwe to 27 for two.

Whittall and Alistair Campbell fought back with some fluent driving, in a way that one could not imagine Zimbabwe adopting against more renowned opponents, and there was always the possibility that they might be unprepared for the good delivery when it came. Campbell, not for the first time in his career, made a gift of his wicket when on 19, hooking at Sharif to lob an easy catch off the glove to the keeper; 66 for three.

Andy Flower was soon under way, hitting Hasibul Hossain for four boundaries in an over between extra cover and third man. He was prepared to bide his time against Sharif, the most consistent of the bowlers.

JAVED HITS HALF-CENTURY FOR BANGLADESH

After lunch Javed slashed Streak and Blignaut in turn just past the heads of statuesque slips to the boundary before a slash backward of point for four brought him his fifty. Zimbabwe kept an attacking field but too many loose deliveries thwarted their plans.

The 84-run partnership came to an end when leg-spinner Brian Murphy came on for the first time and had Javed adjudged caught bat-pad by debutant Dion Ebrahim for 62 with his second ball.

Aminul Islam and Akram Khan appeared to be settling in for another good partnership when a brilliant turn and throw from Blignaut at third man ran out the latter for 21, and Bangladesh were 149 for four just before tea.

BANGLADESH MAKE REASONABLE PROGRESS BEFORE LUNCH

Openers Javed and Mehrab Hussain, who was the more aggressive of the two, handled good bowling by Heath Streak and BAndy lignaut very competently. The bowlers extracted some pace and movement from the pitch, but it was never as venomous as it can be at Harare Sports Club. It was 50 minutes before Mehrab (16) snicked a fast, high catch to third slip, where Mluleki Nkala parried it for the catch to be completed by Guy Whittall at fourth. Bangladesh were 26 for one and debutant Blignaut had taken his first Test wicket.

He took another in his next over, as Habibul Bashar (0) slashed at a wide ball, only to hammer a catch straight to Brian Murphy at backward point. Another denutant, Brighton Watambwa, came on to bowl faster than either of his predecessors, but without success.

BANGLADESH ARE ASKED TO BAT AFTER ZIMBABWE WIN TOSS

Queens normally provides batsmen with the perfect conditions to practise their trade, but this pitch was obviously intended to assist Zimbabwe's strong pace attack; to what extent remained to be seen. It has been usual for Zimbabwe to play two spinners at this venue, but instead left-armer Raymond Price has been made 12th man, giving Zimbabwe four pace bowlers.

This type of pitch must be a serious disappointment to the Bangladeshis and on the face of it would seem to ensure that a Zimbabwean victory, which was already likely, would become a certainty now that they have also won the toss. Zimbabwe are a most unpredictable side, but it would now be an almost incredible feat for Bangladesh to secure a draw, let alone a victory.

They do have one or two glimmers of hope. A green pitch at Queens does not necessarily mean a great deal of help for the seamers. They may also hope that Heath Streak will not be at his best, as he was not in the One-Day International here, and that his inexperienced support pacemen – Nkala, only just recovered from injury, and debutants Blignaut and Watambwa – are unable to take full advantage of the conditions. Otherwise the tourists have an extremely heavy task ahead of them.

The teams are:

Zimbabwe: Guy Whittall, Dion Ebrahim, Stuart Carlisle, Alistair Campbell, +Andy Flower, Grant Flower, *Heath Streak, Mluleki Nkala, Andy Blignaut, Brian Murphy, Brighton Watambwa.

Bangladesh: Javed Omar, Mehrab Hossain, Habibul Bashar, Aminul Islam, Akram Khan, *Naimur Rahman, +Khaled Masud, Mushfiqur Rahman, Mohammad Sharif, Hasibul Hossain, Monjurul Islam.

© CricInfo

Date-stamped : 22 Apr2001 - 10:23