Bangladesh Vs Zimbabwe Second Test Played at Sher-e-bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Brief Score Card: Day One
Bangladesh 303/5 (Mominul Haq 161, Mushfiqur Rahim 111* , Kyle Jervis 3/48 ,Chattara 1/28 , Tirpano 1/33 )
Two brilliant centuries of two little birds Mominul Haq (161) and Mushfiqur Rahim (111*) and record setting 266 runs fourth wicket partnership have salvaged Bangladesh from virtual ruins to a zone of comfort .Team tigers at stumps of day one reached 303/5 . Another 100 runs on this difficult wicket will put Bangladesh on complete command. Batting on this wicket on day three and four would be tricky. Bangladesh desperately needs winning this test for avoiding humiliation of white wash or loss of the series. I think Bangladesh in this test has enough bowling resources to go for serious hunt for winning the test with a reasonable run cushion in the first innings.
The first day wicket at Sher –e- Bangla national stadium had swing, seam movement and uneven bounce. Winning the toss and electing to bat Bangladesh was in familiar zone of top order collapse. Losing 3 wickets with 26 runs on board crisis was looming when Mr. dependable walked in to join not so secure Mominul. He survived few close calls. Imrul and debutant Mithun got out before scoring and Liton scored just 9. Gritty little birds of Bangladesh Cricket started grinding and grafting. The pre lunch session witnessed Jervis, Chattara and Tirpano keeping a tight leash on the Bangladesh. Survival was the mission for team tigers. The post lunch session saw Mominul and Mushfique unwinding. Brilliant strokes of the two brilliant batsmen coming on their own, carried Bangladesh out of danger zone to the region of assurance . They cut, pulled and swept at ease and when opportunity came drove majestically. Mominul went on scoring his 7th Century and Mushfique his 6th.
The partnership kept on surging 50, 100, 150 and 200. Mushfique usually plays sheet anchors role innings like this off and on .But Mominul was going through an bad patch for a while . His bat was not talking. After an uncertain start he started growing in confidence. It was great finding this quality batsman coming on his own. An inform Mominul is graceful and elegant. Unfortunately towards the end of the days play when new ball was taken he tried playing a loose shot off Chattara . Brian Chari snapped up a good catch . Mominul scored 161 and was looking good for more. His departure made Mahmudullah sending night watch man Taijul . He could not survive long getting out to the bowler of the day Kyle Jervis. Bangladesh finished the day at 303/5.
Bangladesh made three changes of playing XI of first tests. Shanto , Nazmul Opu and Abu Jayed were replaced by Mithun , Mustafiz and Khaled . The wicket looked dry. So with no hesitation Mahmudullah opted to bat after winning the toss . The tormentors of Sylhet first innings Jervis and Chattara again appeared on the mission . Liton and Kayes were looking out of sorts negotiating swing and seam movement . Kayes was perished in no time . Liton did not last long and so did debutant Mithun . We do not understand in such crisis situation why a debutant Mithun was sent batting ahead of Mushfique ? Why team management could not cover him a little bit ? Mushfique is a crisis man . He has the best technique . At 26/3 Bangladesh was looking down the barrel. Fortunately Brian Chari and Chakava failed to grab the catches off the bat of Mominul . The appearance of Mushfique on the other end had calming effect on Mominul. He needed those slice of luck. This pair somehow survived till lunch.
After lunch sun came out and Bangladesh innings from gloom of despair started shinning . Tow quality Bangladesh batsmen started playing strokes all around the wicket . They complemented each other superbly . The partnership not only salvaged Bangladesh but also took them into comfort zone . Bangladesh over the last eight innings of the four successive tests could not cross 200 in any innings . This very day the fourth wicket partnership along set up a new record of 266 . Mominul in his 161 struck 19 eye pleasing boundaries . Mushfiques cultured unbeaten innings of 111 contained 9 lovely looking boundaries. At the dying stage of the day when new ball was taken Mominul got out through a tired looking drive . His fall caused another wicket gone of that of night watch man Taijul. Mahmudullah joining in did not require facing any delivery. Bangladesh
finished the day at impressive 303/5.
The wicket played several tricks during the day . Playing against new ball still requires patience and application . Hope another two M’s Mahmudullah and Mushfique will stich another partnership of substance and then Ariful and Miraj would add few . Bangladesh would love 400 plus . Batting third and fourth innings on this wicket may not be fun .
It was great that Bangladesh batted out of trouble. The ineptness of top order against quality fast bowling again exposed the weakness of Bangladesh batsmen against moving balls pitched in the off stump corridor. Hope Bangladesh would learn lessons and would cut down mistakes in future . Letting Mithun debut was no problem. But in the match situation a debutant should not have been sent to bat at 2/16 with both the openers back in the pavilion and bowlers on the kill was a mistake. The best technically equipped batsman Mushfique should have been sent at his usual position of number four . Debutants have nerves . Sending him at that situation was not a justice down. He tried prodding a ball leaving him and was gone caught in the slip for a dreadful duck.
I think Bangladesh has done well bringing back Mustafiz and giving Khaled his test cap. On this wicket they should bowl well to complement the spinners. So far so good. The first session of day two will be crucial and would dictate the way where the match would be heading. Bangladesh should target batting once. If Jervis, Chattra and Tirpano can bowl with venom why not Mustafiz and Khaled do that. The uneven bounce should assist the spinners too.
BDST: 1236 HRS, NOV 12, 2018
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