The second and final Test between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh continues to hang by the proverbial thread. Bangladesh are 272 runs ahead with five wickets in hand, but are some way from dominating the proceedings.
Zimbabwe fought back manfully in the second session, taking three quick wickets just before tea and adding two more in the final session. They were lucky too, being on the favourable end of two poor umpiring decisions and Shakib Al Hasan's appalling shot late in the day.
Shakib and captain Mushfiqur Rahim consolidated after Bangladesh had slipped to 65 for 4. The pair added 84 until Shakib got impatient, charged at Hamilton Masakadza's innocuous medium-pace and edged behind like he had in the first innings. He fell this time for 59 off 104 balls, and had looked mostly in command. He was, however, dropped twice in the same region, behind point, on 45 and 48 but ultimately it was his own poor thinking that brought about his downfall.
Mushfiqur remained solid till the end, remaining at the crease on 50 off 85 balls, tight in his defensive play. He was also mindful of variable bounce in the wicket, but took it ball by ball, rather than going after the bowling. It was quite different than the start of the Bangladesh second innings, which was nothing short of frenzy.
Tamim Iqbal was the first to suffer at the hands of the umpire. The Shingi Masakadza delivery which rose considerably didn't touch his bat as replays showed; in fact, the ball was quite far from the edge. But he was given the marching orders by umpire Tony Hill, who had earlier given two poor decisions in the Zimbabwe first innings too.
Within a few overs, umpire Ian Gould was in action, adjudging Mohammad Ashraful leg-before to make it 18 for 3 when the Kyle Jarvis delivery looked to be sliding down even on first viewing. The replays confirmed this notion. Jahurul Islam was the second wicket to fall, when he prodded at a ball that was quite away from his body, edging it on way to the wicketkeeper.
After tea, Mominul Haque gave away another good start and edged Shingi Masakadza to first slip to make it three for the fast bowler. The edge was easily caught by his brother Hamilton, the first instance in which both brothers were involved. Mominul had survived a dropped catch by Vusi Sibanda on 2 and a run-out in the 13th over, but he couldn't make that count.
Zimbabwe looked to be in the ascendancy with Shingi Masakadza bowling quite well. But they suffered without Keegan Meth's accuracy and were later stalled by the Shakib-Mushfiqur partnership. The home side had earlier taken some control of the game in the first session with the bat but gave it away soon enough.
Robiul Islam took five wickets, being Mushfiqur's go-to man at every juncture. In the morning session, he broke the vital sixth-wicket stand between Elton Chigumbura and Richmond Mutumbami. He continued to be very accurate, unusual for a Bangladesh fast bowler. The other rare trait in this series for him has been his willingness to keep bowling.
He found very little support from the two other seamers, as Mushfiqur insisted on using him in long spells. Sajidul Islam and Ziaur Rahman were hardly used, although the latter had Keegan Meth dropped at fine leg by Robiul.
Chigumbura hammered eight fours and a six in his 111-ball 86, but he couldn't complete the century after Robiul wrecked his off stump with a beautiful delivery. Before the dismissal, he got Zimbabwe past the follow-on mark and gave his bowlers a smaller deficit.
He added 85 for the sixth wicket with Mutumbami, who made 42. The pair began slowly, but Chigumbura started to find boundaries regularly. Mutumbami joined in, even hammering a six off Shakib.
Zimbabwe had gone off to a poor start to the day when Malcolm Waller holed out at deep square leg to a Sohag Gazi long-hop. It was a lucky day for Gazi who added the wicket of Meth, caught behind down the leg side. Gazi finished with four wickets, while Shakib took one. It was Shakib's show with the bat, though, that was crucial.
Zimbabwe 282 (Chigumbura 86, Robiul 5-85, Gazi 4-59) trail Bangladesh 391 by 109 runs
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With most of the second session and the third session left to play, Bangladesh had a great opportunity to give Zimbabwe a large target to chase. The visitors would have to score quickly in the second innings, however, to give themselves enough time to take ten wickets.
Robiul was Zimbabwe's main threat as he worked through the entire innings, maintaining accuracy and bowling outswingers. He was used by his captain Mushfiqur Rahim at every opportunity, whether it was with the new or old ball, and before or after breaks.
Robiul had picked up two wickets on the second day, those of Regis Chakabva and Vusimuzi Sibanda early on. On the third morning, he broke the Elton Chigumbura-Richmond Mutumbami resistance, getting rid of both batsmen after they rescued the home side from a collapse. Robiul later dismissed Shingirai Masakadza to complete the five-for. He once again bowled the most number of overs - 33 - and was very much at home in the Harare conditions.
Sohag Gazi picked up four wickets, including the big one of Brendan Taylor, but he was lucky to get two of those wickets. Taylor had holed out for 36 on the second evening, but Gazi's next two wickets were down to the batsmen's mistakes. Malcolm Waller holed out to a long-hop on the third morning for 32, before Keegan Meth edged a ball going down the leg-side. Gazi rounded off the Zimbabwe innings by clean bowling Kyle Jarvis.
Lunch Zimbabawe 257 for 7 (Chigumbura 86, Robiul 4-72) trail Bangladesh 391 (Shakib 81, Chigumbura 3-75) by 134 runs
Elton Chigumbura kept Bangladesh at bay throughout the morning session, but was bowled by Robiul Islam at the stroke of lunch as Zimbabwe scored 99 runs for the loss of three wickets. They are 257 for 7, a significant recovery from their score of 158 for 4 at the start of the day. They are now behind by 134 runs in the first innings. Chigumbura, who scored 86 in 111 balls, was the main source of inspiration, and runs, in the sixth wicket partnership of 85 runs with Richmond Mutumbami.
Robiul took two wickets in the morning, breaking the Mutmbami-Chigumbura partnership, but
Chigumbura's highest Test score was vital to his team's cause.
Chigumbura first had to ride out the dismissal of Malcolm Waller, who was batting well on 32 before holing out to deep square-leg off Sohag Gazi early in the day. With Waller, he added 66 runs in a fifth-wicket partnership that had both batsmen playing positively. The dismissal was untimely, and quite undeserved of the long-hop served up by offspinner Gazi.
Bangladesh would have expected to roll over Mutumbami quickly, but the youngster showed gumption in what is only his second Test. He didn't take too long to get off the mark, and as soon as he settled down, helped out Chigumbura with the scoring too. He made 42 off 72 balls, though he survived after being given out leg-before in the 83rd over as Robiul had overstepped. He was dismissed soon after, by the same bowler when he left a straight delivery.
Chigumbura reached his second Test fifty soon after Waller's wicket, and soon after, blasted Robiul down the ground to take Zimbabwe past 191, the follow-on mark. He continued to find the boundaries and he ended the session with eight fours to his name apart from the six.
The Bangladesh spinners hardly made an impression on the batsmen, particularly struggling to hold a single mode of attack. It was either full outside offstump or attacking the middle and leg-stump. Shakib Al Hasan has looked rusty as he is coming off a long bowling break, while Gazi hasn't been able to bowl with much accuracy.
Sajidul Islam was used for a few overs, but it was once again Robiul who had to call all the shots. He bowled a tidy six-over spell in the morning, and later with the second new ball, he took a wicket.
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