Zimbabwe 240 All Out [Sikandar Raza 51, Shakib al Hasan 6/59, Jubair Hossain 2/58] and 5/0 Bangladesh 254 All out [Mushfiqur Rahim 64, Mahmudullah Riyad 63, Mominul Huq 53, Panyangara 5/59)
No passion, no imagination seems to have been cultured in Bangladesh cricket. The wicket of Mirpur Stadium was at its best on the second day. The bowling of Zimbabweans was nothing more than steady. There was no disconcerting bounce or deceptive turns. Three set batsmen threw away their wickets after scoring fifties, three got suicidal run outs. All these combined the wisdom toothless tigers loose the initiative that Shakib and the bowlers earned on the first day. Bangladesh could manage to get only a slender lead of 14 runs. This will not give them much advantage to chase whatever they have to in the second innings. Zimbabweans are well and truly back in the game through disciplined bowling. Wisdom teeth did not seem to grow of the tigers. They are making the same mistakes over and over again while batting.
Mominul is relatively new in the game. He was all at ease with his cool composure and lazy elegance till his unnecessary attempted for a suicidal run just before lunch. Mahamudullah could have little reason to sweep and put his leg right in front after getting set. Mushfique in my opinion bats a bit lower in the batting order and gets a bit panicked while batting with the tail. He was himself responsible for his downfall. Any of the three could lay stronger foundation for the team if they could exercise greater commitment and discretion. The run outs of Mominul and Shakib hurt the team very badly. Bangladesh lost the plot. We cannot understand what briefing or mentoring Bangladesh had from the team’s think tank? What was the game plan? When will Bangladeshi batsmen learn to convert fifties into big hundreds? The other team of the subcontinent Pakistan at the same time at Dubai against mighty Australia showed a lesson how to bat out of the skin grind and graft against hostile bowling. Bangladeshi batsmen will do well watching the videos of the batting of Younis Khan, Ahmed Shehzad and Sarfraz Ahmed. Bangladeshi batsmen really lack concentration, temperament. There were no panics, no reason to hurry. Yet they did and paid the price. Perhaps they have already lost a plot. They now have to put together their acts while bowling today and see that the visitors cannot score a big second innings to make the task of winning or even saving the match beyond Bangladesh capability.
So when on a known pitch and against a team of medium-pacers and friendly spinners, the home batsmen found ways of getting out soon after reaching fifties, it reeked of casualness. Three set batsmen were guilty of gifting their wickets away---Mominul Haque was run out for 53 at the stroke of lunch due to his own mistake, Mahmudullah played across the line to be lbw for 63, just before tea, and Mushfiqur Rahim pulled one from outside off straight to square leg on 64. The three were the top scorers for their team. Their grand total: 180 runs.
Bangladesh started on the back foot on the second morning losing Shamsur Rahman left very early. Mahmudullah joined little Mominul and were playing solidly. This writer feels strongly that skipper Mushfiqur Rahim must bat at number four. He has the better technique and skills of building innings. Mushfique can be ideal foil for Mominul who over his tenth tests has shown great consistencies. Mushfique can rotate the strikes and is better runner between the wickets. But I do not mean Mahmudullah could not do that. The pair was taking Bangladesh to a zone of assurance batting with lot of confidence till just before lunch Mominul got himself run out trying a very risky single. Again Mushfique pushed Shakib ahead of him. Mushfique in the recent past proved himself technically the best batsman. In all test teams such batsmen bat at number four and others build around. Shakib can be of greater value at six or even at five linking Mushfique and Mahmudullah on either side. Anyway another run out cut prematurely Shakib’s innings before it could even start blooming. In came Mushfique and the brother in laws started batting very confidently. Bangladesh were looking good for a substantial first innings lead. The fifth wicket partnership put on 64 runs when a well set Mahmudullah played an unimaginative sweep shot to partime bowler Sikandar Raza to be adjudged leg before the wicket. Mushfique was left with tail enders to deal with.
Unfortunately these days Bangladesh has a longer tail since Nasir Hossain lost form and top order batsman fail to convert fifties to hundreds. Mushfique was looking good but he started running out of partners. Panyangara was bowling aggressively of a flat track and was causing issues. Mushfique unfortunately chose to pull a ball to score a risky boundary rather than taping for a single for shielding his partner. He got out at the wrong time scoring yet again a fifty. After his departure Panyangara did not waste time to wrap up tigers tail. Experienced Shahadat got run out in a bizarre fashion. Luckily sensible batting by Taijul could get Bangladesh a lead of 14 which however would not matter much. A more determined and professional score could get tigers to a zone of assurance with a score of at least 350. But that was never to be.
We must write a word or two for Mominul Huq. He has shown an amazing consistency over his two years short stint in test cricket. In nine and a half test he has already scored 930 runs. Another 70 in the second innings will take him beside legendary cricket Icon Donald Bradman a feat which even great Sachin Tendulkar, Brain Lara even did not achieve. Let us wish our best for this mini dynamo.
We must not take away any credit from the visitors. They bowled and fielded in a much disciplined manner and richly deserved where they are. Even Zimbabwe can survive the pre-lunch session of the third day without much damage Bangladesh will be in a spot of bother in containing them. Bangladesh may find it difficult to chase anything above 300 in the fourth innings. It all depends on how Zimbabweans can bat against Bangladeshi spinners and what target they set. There are lots to play for in the match of two minnows of test cricket. Let see who wins the dog fight.
BDST: 0907 HRS, OCT 27, 2014
