Published: Apr 19, 2013, 01:08 PM (IST)
Edited: Apr 19, 2013, 01:08 PM (IST)
Mohammad Ashraful (left) and Jahurul Islam are batting © AFP
Harare: Apr 19, 2013
Zimababwe posted 389 in their first innings of the first Test against Bangladesh at Harare. However, Bangladesh provided a fitting reply by ending Day Two on 95 for the loss of one wicket with Jahurul Islam (38) and Mohammad Ashraful (23) on the crease.
Skipper Brendan Taylor celebrated Zimbabwe‘s Independence Day with a record-breaking score. Taylor’s 171 formed the backbone in a Zimbabwean total of 389 all out.
Taylor’s eight-hour epic was also the highest Test score by a Zimbabwean captain, eclipsing Andy Flower‘s 156 against Pakistan at the same Harare Sports Club venue in 1995, and the eighth best by any Zimbabwean.
Batting coach Grant Flower, who played 67 Tests for Zimbabwe and scored a double-century himself, rated Taylor’s knock as one of the finest in his country’s history.
Taylor had shared in a century stand with Malcolm Waller on the first day, and enjoyed another one with Graeme Cremer on the second to keep Zimbabwe ticking along — albeit at a slow scoring rate.
After resuming on their overnight total of 217 for four, with Taylor on 105, the hosts lost Elton Chigumbura and Richmond Mutumbami in quick succession at the start of the day’s play before Cremer provided sturdy support in a 107-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
Although Taylor and Cremer departed in the space of three deliveries, with the latter dismissed for 42, Keegan Meth and Shingirai Masakadza prolonged the innings by adding 21 runs apiece.
Whereas Zimbabwe had batted cautiously for the majority of their innings, with the run-rate never rising above 2.7 per over, Bangladesh’s openers opted for a more aggressive approach.
Brief Scores: Zimbabwe 389 (Brendan Taylor 171, Malcolm Waller 55; Robiul Islam 3 for 84, Enamul Haque Jr 3 for 133) lead Bangladesh 95 for 1 (Jahurul Islam 38*, Shahriar Nafeez 29, Mohammad Ashraful 23*; Kyle Jarvis 1 for 39) by 294 runs.
Catch live scores of the third day’s play of the opening Test between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh here
