1st Test: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe at Dhaka, 8-12 Nov 2001 Shahryar Khan |
Bangladesh 2nd innings:
Zimbabwe 1st innings: |
Mashrafe was the most successful bowler for his country to grab 4 for 106. Enamul secured 3 for 74 and Manjurul Islam 2 giving away the same run.
Javed Omar let the first Streak delivery go past his stumps to the keeper and that was how hosts started their second innings. They would have to go a long way to save the match and it was an ordeal.
Al-Sahariar flicked Friend to deep fine leg to open his account and for his country too. He hit a four by placing Streak in the third over down to fine leg to clear the rope. Four welcome runs for Bangladesh. Javed was evading the new ball giving strikes to Al-Sahariar to face it most of the time.
Friend gave the first blow when the fourth ball of his second over rose sharply to hit Al-Sahariar’s gloves and flew to Grant Flower at point and he didn’t miss it. Al-Sahariar returned with 5 and Bangladesh lost their first wicket at 6.
Friend was pitching the ball real fast and was gathering bounce from the surface; Streak, on the other hand, was persistent with his steady line and length scarcely allowing the batsman to move.
Javed angled away an over pitched delivery from Streak to deep square leg and picked up three runs. Bangladesh 18 for 1 after 9 overs.
On the 13th over Javed Omar almost got his partner run out when he pushed the ball to point and raced to the other end. If the throw hit the stumps, Bashar could have been in the pavilion by that time. Bangladeshi batsmen should not go for such risks right then.
Henry Olonga was trying to frighten Bashar delivering short pitcher on several occasions. Bashar took the challenge on his third over to whack the bowl that went fast to the deep point fence for four. The score moved to 31. Bashar likes to go for pull shots, despite the fact that it cost his wicket for a good number of times.
He hit another four off the same bowler in his next over, the shot that resembled the first one. Bashar went for his third four off Olonga, a grassy straight drive through long on to the ropes, which takes the batsman to 21. Olonga hit back with a lethal bouncer in his next delivery to show his disappointment and the batsman ducked down to move away from its line. Good fight between two ace players!
At Tea Bangladesh managed 47 runs for the loss of Al-Sahariar. Bashar batting 21 and Javed 13.
By this time, Travis reached his fifty, a precious one, which included seven shots to the rope. Zimbabwe has good supportive batsmen at the tail after their renowned top-order. Streak, Friend, Murphy – they all looked quite dexterous with the bat too. Their vital contribution was placing the squad to a secured position as they were nearing four hundred – a total that could shake the opponent’s confidence in such a track.
Is their any way for Bangladesh to shun the defeat? The question was floating all around. However, Friend got a life as Mahmood dropped him at second slip off Mashrafe. He was getting dangerous after that and hit consecutive boundaries to Mahmood only to show the gratitude. He was batting with 67 with Murphy who managed 4. Zimbabwe board showed 389 for 8.
It is very unfortunate for Bangladesh to have another downcast sky today like day-1. Yesterday was sunny and the surface was getting easier to bat on, as it was well established by the Zimbabweans.
Murphy struck Enamul for a square leg boundary soon after Zimbabwe reached 400. He welcomed the Bangladeshi skipper with a four that raced through deep extra cover when Naimur brought himself on at the other end.
Travis Friend’s innings ended when he played Enamul Haque on the back foot and missed the line, the ball took his bails off. He is the third unlucky batsman among the Zimbabweans who failed to spot the century, as he was 81 when he was on his stride to pavilion. He struck nine fours all the way through his valiant knock. Zimbabwe had run up a massive total of 418 for 9.
Olonga opened his account on Naimur’s fourth delivery by gently pushing the ball to cover. He was the only Zimbabwean looked suspect against spin.
Murphy slammed another four off Enamul Haque through cover and trying to keep the strike as much as possible.
Naimur gave the ball to his speed man Mashrafe to dispatch Olonga before long but the African survived that over. At lunch Zimbabwe were 428 for 9 with Murphy batting at 24 and Olonga 1.
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Date-stamped : 10 Nov2001 - 20:17