Zimbabwe remained on course for their first Test win in nearly two years, ending the third day at 187 for 7 with a convincing lead of 442, as Brendan Taylor took charge on a bowler-dominated day.
He was unbeaten on 80 in the second innings, to add to his 171 that shaped Zimbabwe's 389. Taylor, however, didn't find any help from the top or middle-order, which was dismantled single-handedly by Robiul Islam. The pace bowler took the first six Zimbabwe wickets to fall, his maiden Test five-for and the first by any Bangladeshi pace bowler since June 2010.
But Robiul's 6 for 55 didn't take away any advantages from Zimbabwe. Graeme Cremer once again offered resistance before he was run out for 43, bettering his previous highest Test score from the first innings. He and Taylor added 79 for the seventh wicket, rounding off a very good day for the hosts.
Zimbabwe began the day by triggering a massive collapse in the visitors' batting line-up. Bangladesh went on to lose nine wickets for just 32 runs, giving away their last five wickets without scoring a run. They ended their first innings on 134 runs, trailing by 255, but Taylor didn't enforce the follow-on.
Instead, he let his young pace attack put their feet up for some time, after their efforts in the morning put Zimbabwe ahead. Kyle Jarvis and Shingirai Masakadza picked up four wickets each, while debutant Keegan Meth took two.
It was Meth's medium-paced seam bowling that struck first. He ended Jahurul Islam's promising 43 although the batsman had slowed down considerably on the third morning. He had added just five runs off 35 balls before he was trapped leg-before in the 11th over of the day. Mahmudullah prodded needlessly at an away-going delivery and dragged it back onto his stumps to give Meth his second wicket. Bangladesh's good work from the previous evening was coming undone.
Bangladesh's over-reliance on a defensive approach, although it looked sensible at the onset, cost them dearly. The second-wicket pair between Ashraful and Jahurul added only seven runs in 10.5 overs on the third morning and soon after, the batting imploded.
Masakadza, playing his second Test, was the most successful bowler as he removed three top batsmen in the space of four overs. Shakib Al Hasan tried to rotate the strike but he couldn't keep a bouncing delivery down, guiding a simple catch to Vusi Sibanda at gully. Mohammad Ashraful was out a ball later, giving an easy catch to Malcolm Waller at square-leg.
It was a waste of diligence after he had batted well for more than two hours. He was dismissed for 38, the last Bangladesh batsman to get to double figures in the first innings. Captain Mushfiqur Rahim was trapped leg-before by Masakadza, before he finished off Bangladesh's misery with the wicket of Sohag Gazi just after lunch.
Meth and Masakadza reaped the rewards of Jarvis' superb first spell. Giving away just one run in six overs, the young pace bowler kept the Bangladesh batsmen either leaving or using the forward defence regularly. Neither Ashraful nor Jahurul could force him off the square, though they had played the same bowler with much ease in his first eight overs the evening before.
Jarvis returned after lunch to remove Nasir Hossain with an away-going delivery after sucking him in with fuller balls. He added the wickets of Enamul Haque jnr and Rubel Hossain to finish with 4 for 40 from his 16 overs.
Bangladesh's reaction to the collapse came through Robiul, who took the first six wickets. He bowled a beautiful full delivery to bowl Sibanda for the second time in the match. Hamilton Masakadza gave Robiul a simple return catch in his next over, before he got rid of Timycen Maruma with another full delivery. He took three wickets in successive overs before he added Waller's wicket an over later as Zimbabwe slipped to 27 for four.
After the tea break, Robiul had Elton Chigumbura caught at gully by Jahurul Islam to give him a first five-for at this level. Wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami missed a late-moving inswinger and was adjudged out leg-before off the next ball. But the Taylor-Cremer partnership rescued Zimbabwe from 85 for 6.
Zimbabwe had lost their last five Tests before this match but against Bangladesh they turned into a competitive unit. The lead is handsome and should be more than enough to give them a well-deserved win but Bangladesh's collapse said a lot about overcompensating on an approach that is relatively new to them.
Tea Zimbabwe 389 and 62 for 4 (Taylor 25*, Robiul 4-15) lead Bangladesh 134 all out (Masakadza 4-32, Jarvis 4-40) by 317 runs
Some of the sheen from Zimbabwe's dominance over Bangladesh in this Test was lost after they lost quick wickets in their second innings. Their decision to not enforce the follow-on however has not hurt them just yet as they are still leading by 317 runs with seven sessions left to play.
Robiul Islam took all the wickets to fall as Bangladesh fought back from a despairing first two hours on the third day. Brendan Taylor, unbeaten on 25, and Elton Chigumbura remained at the crease, seeing out a testing spell from Robiul and Shakib Al Hasan.
Vusi Sibanda was the first to go, again clean bowled by Robiul. It was a similar dismissal to the first innings, though this time Sibanda's offstump cartwheeled as he missed a straight delivery. Hamilton Masakadza followed soon after, giving a straight forward return catch to the same bowler.
Timecyn Maruma ended his first Test with another low score, given out leg-before from a full delivery from Robiul. Malcolm Waller was the fourth wicket, edging an outswinger to Nasir Hossain at first slip.
But Zimbabwe's pace trio's probing spells that have influenced this Test match significantly. Kyle Jarvis, Shingirai Masakadza and debutant Keegan Meth didn't just take the ten Bangladesh wickets but forced it out of them. Bangladesh lost nine wickets for just 32 runs, having been comfortably placed at 102 for 1 in the 36th over. To make matters worse, the last five wickets didn't even yield a single run as they remained stuck on 134.
But Zimbabwe's pace trio's probing spells that have influenced this Test match significantly. Kyle Jarvis, Shingirai Masakadza and debutant Keegan Meth didn't just take the ten Bangladesh wickets but forced it out of them. Bangladesh lost nine wickets for just 32 runs, having been comfortably placed at 102 for 1 in the 36th over. To make matters worse, the last five wickets didn't even yield a single run as they remained stuck on 134.
Jarvis was the pick of the three, taking 4 for 40 from his 16 overs. He started off the day with accurate bowling, giving away just one run in his six overs. His first five overs in the morning were maidens as he tested the patience of Jahurul Islam and Mohammad Ashraful. Tt was in the second session, after he switched ends, that he immediately removed Nasir Hossain.
It was a caught-behind dismissal, giving wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami his first catch in Test cricket. Enamul Haque jnr and Rubel Hossain lost their stumps soon after, becoming Jarvis' third and fourth victims in the innings.
Masakadza too was keen on making the batsmen play and he was successful. Almost as quick as Jarvis, the pace bowler took three big wickets. Shakib Al Hasan couldn't keep his bounce down, as he gave a simple catch to Sibanda at gully. A ball later, Ashraful popped a simple catch at square leg to Waller, before captain Mushfiqur Rahim was trapped leg-before by a delivery that snaked in late. Masakadza took the final wicket of the innings, that of Sohag Gazi and finished with 4 for 32.
Meth marked the day as one for the seam bowlers when he removed Jahurul Islam and Mahmudullah in a marathon 12-over spell. He gave away just 19 runs, removing Jahurul lbw while the Bangladesh vice-captain gifted him a second by inside edging one on to the stumps.
Bangladesh's over reliance on a defensive approach on the third morning had cost them dearly. The second-wicket stand between Ashraful and Jahurul added seven runs in 10.5 overs before the latter fell to Meth. Soon after, the batting line-up imploded in a manner that Bangladesh fans would have forgotten after a good 2012-13 season.
Bangladesh 134 all out (Masakadza 4-32, Jarvis 4-40) trail Zimbabwe 389 (Taylor 171, Waller 55) by 255 runs
Three pace bowlers swung the Test match Zimbabwe's way after they triggered a mighty collapse in the Bangladesh batting line-up. Kyle Jarvis followed up his near-perfect opening spell with three quick wickets at the start of the second session and was well backed up by Shingirai Masakadza, who took four wickets while Keegan Meth took two.
The visitors lost their last four wickets without adding a single run to their total of 134 at the lunch break. Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor decided to bat again, not enforcing the follow-on. Zimbabwe are 255 runs ahead and will look to take full advantage of Bangladesh's panicky mindset.
Jarvis came in from the Teletalk End in the second session to pick up three more wickets - Nasir Hossain edging a wide delivery, and Enamul Haque jnr and Rubel Hossain's stumps doing a cartwheel. Masakadza picked up the final wicket when Sohag Gazi picked up a short ball and calmly delivered to Malcolm Waller's hands at midwicket.
Captain Mushfiqur Rahim's dismissal was the last wicket at the lunch break when he was given out leg-before off Masakadza. It capped off a superb morning session for the home side as they took five wickets for 39 runs. The session began quietly for a Bangladesh batting line-up more inclined to play strokes and they succumbed to the excellent lengths bowled by the Zimbabwean pace bowlers.
Mohammad Ashraful and Jahurul Islam batted so cautiously in the first hour that Jarvis bowled himself back into discipline. His six overs just cost him one run, having delivered five maidens in a row. He made sure the two batsmen had nothing to put bat on, using the slightly wider line to effect. Whenever he targeted the stumps, the batsmen could only use the front-foot defense or go back to tap the ball down the ground. He cut out the singles, too, not letting the batsmen get into a rhythm, and it worked a treat.
Meth, from the other end, got the batsmen to play less in the first half-hour before using his inswinger to bring the ball back to the stumps more. His first good ball accounted for Jahurul's wicket, the batsman playing down the wrong line as he was trapped leg-before. The delivery had a hint of going down the legside, but it was close enough for umpire Billy Bowden.
Jahurul added just five runs to his overnight score of 38, batting out 35 balls. His approach looked sensible to start off with, but he let the bowlers settle down easily as he got bogged down at the crease. He and Ashraful had raced to a 42-run stand the previous evening, but just added seven runs in 10.5 overs on the third morning.
Mahmudullah was sent in at No. 4, a position where Mominul Haque had scored two fifties in the last two Tests. The Bangladesh vice-captain was again dismissed for a low score, this time bowled off the inside edge for just three.
Shakib Al Hasan began with a new approach, trying to hustle Meth by charging at him but his first bat at international level since November ended when he couldn't keep a Masakadza delivery down. The ball leapt off his bat, giving Vusi Sibanda an easy catch at gully.
Ashraful followed soon after, miscuing a half-hearted pull-shot off Masakadza as Malcolm Waller took an easy catch at square-leg. He was dismissed for 38, having scored just 15 runs off 55 balls in the session, a tame end to an innings that promised much.
Lunch Bangladesh 134 for 6 (N Hossain 7*, S Masakadza 3-32) trail Zimbabwe 389 by 255 runs
Zimbabwe stormed back into the Test match with five wickets on the third morning. Kyle Jarvis led the way with a near-perfect opening spell, before Keegan Meth and Shingirai Masakadza shared the five wickets between them as Bangladesh's positive intent took a backseat.
Bangladesh were 255 runs behind Zimbabwe's first innings score of 389 at lunch, going into the interval at 134 for 6 with their last recognised batsman out in the middle. Their 39 runs in 26 overs in the first session were in complete contrast to their free-flowing style on the second evening when they dominated.
Captain Mushfiqur Rahim was given out leg-before off Shingi Masakadza at the stroke of lunch, making it that much tougher for the visitors to fight back in the game.
Captain Mushfiqur Rahim was given out leg-before off Shingi Masakadza at the stroke of lunch, making it that much tougher for the visitors to fight back in the game.
Mohammad Ashraful and Jahurul Islam batted so cautiously in the first hour that Jarvis bowled himself back into discipline. His six overs just cost him one run, having delivered five maidens in a row. He made sure the two batsmen had nothing to put bat on, using the slightly wider line to great effect. Whenever he targeted the stumps, the batsmen could only use the front-foot defence or go back to tap the ball down the ground. But he cut off the singles too, not letting the batsmen get a rhythm going.
Meth from the other end got the batsmen to play less in the first half-hour before using his inswinger to bring the ball back onto the line of the stumps more. His first good ball accounted for Jahurul's wicket, the batsman playing down the wrong line as he was trapped leg-before. The delivery had a hint of going-down-the-legside look to it, but it was close enough for umpire Billy Bowden.
Jahurul added just five runs to his overnight 38, batting out 35 balls. His approach looked sensible to start off with but he let the bowlers settle easily by getting totally bogged down. He and Ashraful had raced to a 42-run stand the previous evening, but just added seven runs in 10.5 overs on the third morning.
Mahmudullah was sent in at No. 4 - a position from which Mominul Haque had scored two fifties in the last two Tests - and was again out for a low score, this time bowled off the inside edge for three.
Shakib Al Hasan began with a fresh approach, trying to hustle Meth by charging at him, but his first bat at international level since November ended when he couldn't keep a Shingi delivery down. The ball leapt off his bat, giving Vusi Sibanda an easy catch at gully.
Ashraful followed soon after, miscuing a half-hearted pull-shot off Masakadza to give Malcolm Waller an easy catch at square-leg. He was dismissed for 38, having scored just 15 runs off 55 balls in the session. It was a tame end to an innings that promised much.
The home team have their tails up, and will be eying a big lead. On a pitch that is now appearing to offer different bounce at both ends, it will be their match to give away. The visitors would rue not capitalising on such a sound start, and now have very little time to recover.
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