- Robiul Islam is the first Bangladeshi to take the first six wickets in an innings for Bangladesh. No one else had taken the first five before.
- Bangladesh are the fourth team to lose five wickets on the same total in Tests.
- Bangladesh’s 134 is their lowest Test score in Zimbabwe.
After two days of sedate cricket, the third day of the first Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club was as high-octane as it gets. 16 wickets fell for 226 runs as Bangladesh collapsed appallingly from an overnight score of 95 for one to 134 all out, before Robiul Islam did his brilliant best to cover up for his batting colleagues’ failings taking six wickets in Zimbabwe’s second innings of 187 for seven.
Zimbabwe now lead by 442 runs with skipper and first innings centurion Brendan Taylor still at the crease on a dazzling 81.
With a huge first innings lead of 255, Taylor decided against enforcing the follow-on. It was a decision of questionable wisdom as his bowlers, after just a session of bowling, were still fresh and also had all the momentum as the last five Bangladesh wickets fell without any addition to the score. Instead, he invited Bangladesh to bowl with their fast bowlers’ tails up and a charged up fielding outfit after an embarrassing batting debacle.
The result was Robiul, in a seminal opening spell that combined seam and swing movement with pinpoint accuracy, running amok as he snared the first six wickets to fall to leave Zimbabwe teetering at 84 for six. Robiul finished the day with six for 55, the best innings figures by a Bangladesh bowler in Zimbabwe, and nine for 139 in the match, also the best for Bangladesh in the country.
With the score on seven Vusi Sibanda was the first victim, bowled by a beauty of an outswinger that beat the opener’s forward prod. Two runs later Robiul induced one of Zimbabwe’s two best batsmen, Hamilton Masakadza, to offer a tame return catch off the back foot. Timycen Maruma was trapped in front by one that came in and for once Bangladesh held their catches as Malcolm Waller edged an outswinger to Nasir Hossain at first slip.
Taylor, the perennial thorn in the Tigers’ paw, then built a 57-run partnership with Elton Chigumbura. The only batsman who has looked comfortable on the pitch, Taylor mixed aggression with caution perfectly, buoyed by the substantial first innings lead.
But with the score on 84, Robiul returned to take two in two deliveries, first inducing an outside edge from Chigumbura that was held by Jahurul Islam at gully before trapping Richmond Mutumbami in front with a full delivery that pitched and straightened. Taylor then built a 79-run seventh wicket partnership with his first innings partner in crime Graeme Cremer. Bangladesh spinners, of whom Shakib Al Hasan bowled nine overs, again bowled well without much reward as Cremer showed surprising aptitude to cling to the crease. Only a mix-up late in the day saw that stand broken in the 51st over of the innings, courtesy of a run-out.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s batsmen fell in a dramatic heap as they failed to adjust to the change in the quality of bowling of the hosts. Jahurul was the first to go, trapped in front by Keegan Meth in the 11th over of the day. The decision was marginal as there was doubt about whether the ball would have hit leg stump, but he seemed to have used up his quota of fortune as on the previous evening he survived a dropped chance on two.
Mohammad Ashraful batted without problems against Zimbabwe’s four-pronged pace attack, of whom only Kyle Jarvis had enough pace to hurry the batsmen. The troubled Mahmudullah Riyad did not last long as he chopped on a Meth lifter in an attempt to guide the ball to third man. On his return to Test batting, Shakib Al Hasan started busily as ever, using his feet to smother the plentiful swing on offer. But soon, a ball that bounced awkwardly from Shinghai Masakadza had the left-hander fending to offer an easy catch to gully.
In a familiar rush of blood, Ashraful reacted to Shakib’s dismissal by trying to pull a Masakadza delivery, but the resultant top-edge only carried to midwicket. The score had then pottered to 124 for five, with a recovery still possible from skipper Mushfiqur Rahim and Nasir Hossain. Ten runs later however, Mushfiqur was adjudged out to a Masakadza delivery that seemed to be heading down the leg side.
With the dismissal came the announcement for lunch, but after the interval Nasir played an irresponsible waft at a harmless Jarvis delivery and was caught behind. That truly opened the floodgates, as Jarvis promptly bowled Enamul Haque Jr and Rubel Hossain, before Masakdza joined his teammate on four wickets, having Shohag Gazi caught tamely at midwicket as Bangladesh were all out without adding to their lunchtime score.
Source: The Daily Star
