Visiting Zimbabwe continued their domination over Bangladesh despite the five-wicket haul of off spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz on Day 2 of the first cricket Test at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Zimbabwe's upper-hand over the Test was further ensured when they took 82-run first innings lead, after being wrapped up for 273.
Bangladesh reached 57-1 at stumps, weathering the deficit to 25 runs.
Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy was batting on 28 with Mominul Haque, who hit 56 in the side's first innings, on 15.
Bangladesh were bowled out for 191 in its first innings on Day 1.
With his 11th five-for in Test cricket, Miraz minimized some damage as Zimbabwe looked to take the lead out of Bangladesh's reach.
Experienced batter Sean Williams (59) and opener Brian Bennet (57) were instrumental in helping Zimbabwe to claim the lead that raised the prospect of giving them their first Test victory since 2021.
Resuming the day on 67 for no loss, Zimbabwe faced the wrath of pacer Nahid Rana who finished with 3-74.
The pre-match talk revolved around Nahid Rana as Zimbabwe's Sean Williams made a cheeky comment about the young pacer's speed. In response, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said Zimbabwe would realize just how quick Nahid is once they face him in the match.
On Day 1, Zimbabwe batters comfortably negotiated his first four overs, but in just the second over of Day 2, Nahid broke through with typically aggressive pace.
He banged one in short with searing pace, and Ben Curran, unable to evade the extra bounce, fended it to short leg. Mominul Haque dived forward to take an excellent catch.
Curran was out on 18 after playing 55 balls. His fellow opener Brian Bennet was quite comfortable in negotiating all kinds of questions the Bangladeshi bowlers threw at him.
He brought up his maiden 50 off just 56 balls by driving Hasan Mahmud's back of length delivery past cover-point.
Nahid's extra bounce and pace did the trick, finding the outside edge of Bennet to end his promising knock, when Jaker Ali Anik, behind the stumps, did the rest. Bennet's 60-ball knock included 10 boundaries. Hasan Mahmud joined the party immediately by uprooting Nich Welch's (2) stump with an inswinger.
With Zimbabwe reduced to 88-3, Sean Williams and captain Craig Ervine steadied the innings, hinting at a potential comeback.
Nahid broke this threatening 41-run partnership in the penultimate over of the lunch session by inducing a faint outside edge to dismiss Ervine for 8. The on-field umpire had initially given not out, but Bangladesh overturned the decision with an excellent review.
Williams who swept left-arm spinner Taijul Islam for a boundary to raise his fourth fifty from 87 balls, shared another little but significant partnership with Wessley Madhevere.
Pacer Khaled Ahmed got the better of Madhevere for 24 with a short ball to end the 48-run partnership.
Mehidy Miraz, who was expensive in the whole morning session, readjusted his line and length to take the last five wickets of Zimbabwe.
He began with the big wicket of Williams, having him caught by Mahmudul Hasan Joy at long-off after he hit six fours and two sixes for his 108 ball-59. By then, Zimbabwe had gone past Bangladesh's total to take two runs lead.
Nyasha Mayavo (35) and Richard Ngarava (28 not out) increased the lead but Miraz struck at regular intervals.
Bangladesh's situation worsened further when fast bowler Blessing Muzurabani dismissed opener Shadman Islam (4) who poked a delivery to second slip with the scoreboard reading 13 in fourth over.
Joy and Mominul saw off the day without further trouble, keeping Bangladesh on the right track to claw back into the game.
Source: BSS
bd-pratidin/Rafid
