Tea Zimbabwe 291 for 5 dec (Taylor 105*, Ervine 35*) & 370 lead Bangladesh 287 by 374 runs
Zimbabwe batted themselves into a commanding position after two sessions of patient, hard work, and declared at tea. The fifth-wicket pair of Brendan Taylor and Tatenda Taibu negotiated a morning session that was, at times, barren before Taylor and Craig Ervine upped the ante against a Bangladesh attack determined to slow the game down in an effort to minimise the damage.
On the whole, the Bangladesh bowlers lacked penetration and presented almost no threat to the batsmen. Although Rubel Hossain started off generating good pace and the spinners worked to squeeze Zimbabwe with attacking field settings, they were unable to make any breakthroughs in the first session. The new ball also didn't provide Bangladesh with a tool to attack and it was in fact Zimbabwe's batsmen who were the more aggressive once it was introduced. Once again, Bangladesh simply allowed far too many scoring shots and have ended up leaving themselves a massive task with the bat.
Hossain looked dangerous when he started the day's play, especially when he was able to bowl full and move the ball in. After five overs without creating the early breakthrough Bangladesh needed though, Shakib al Hasan took him off, replacing him with Abdur Razzak. With spin from both ends, Tatenda Taibu was allowed to become the architect of Zimbabwe's strike rotation.
His confidence against spin and footwork that would make a ballerina proud, helped Taibu boss the Bangladesh bowlers and score all around the wicket, sweeping and driving with equal distinction. He brought up a feisty half-century with a typical jig down the track and single to mid off. Taylor, whose feet have never been quite as good as Taibu's, played a watchful knock from the other side, maintaining the cautious approach he had employed in the first innings.
With the left-arm spinners losing motivation, runs came easily for the Zimbabwe batsmen who threaded the ball through the gaps and ran well between the wickets, in addition to punishing anything wayward that came their way. Shakib bowled a particularly poor line later in his ten-over spell, veering too much on the leg side, and after conceding five boundaries in three overs took himself off and brought Mahmudullah on.
Together with Razzak, he squeezed the batsmen who managed to score just nine runs in the ten overs before lunch. Taylor and Taibu could have succumbed to frustration in that period but played a strong defensive game to take Zimbabwe into the break in a commanding position.
The second session started in a similarly cautious fashion, with Bangladesh ambling to their fielding positions and moving around the park slowly, trying to kill off any momentum in the match. They bowled just 12 overs in the first hour after lunch, compared to the 17.3 they managed in the first hour of the morning session.
Shafiul Islam was used for the first time in the day and bowled a line wide of off stump, while varying his lengths. Taylor picked him well and reached his fifty off Shafiul, after working him to long leg. Five slow overs were completed before Taibu decided it was time to accelerate and in his first attempt at taking Shafiul on, with a smashing drive, was caught at deep extra cover. Taibu perished in the cause but Taylor and Craig Ervine were able to grow the lead, as they upped the run-rate and took the fight to the bowlers.
They took three overs to get their eye in and then Taylor drove Shafiul through midwicket to take the lead past 300. Ervine had the freedom to play his shots and exacted a magnificent pull off Mahmudullah over midwicket and a sublime drive through the covers. The pair took on the fielders, putting pressure on them as they ran quickly and with self assurance.
Taylor came into his own as the session drew to a close, with a few classic drives. He reached his century with a sweep to backward square leg. As soon as it was hit, his arms were in the air and the group of fans who were chanting "one more, one more" for the two balls he faced on 99, applauded their captain's efforts with delight.
On the whole, the Bangladesh bowlers lacked penetration and presented almost no threat to the batsmen. Although Rubel Hossain started off generating good pace and the spinners worked to squeeze Zimbabwe with attacking field settings, they were unable to make any breakthroughs in the first session. The new ball also didn't provide Bangladesh with a tool to attack and it was in fact Zimbabwe's batsmen who were the more aggressive once it was introduced. Once again, Bangladesh simply allowed far too many scoring shots and have ended up leaving themselves a massive task with the bat.
Hossain looked dangerous when he started the day's play, especially when he was able to bowl full and move the ball in. After five overs without creating the early breakthrough Bangladesh needed though, Shakib al Hasan took him off, replacing him with Abdur Razzak. With spin from both ends, Tatenda Taibu was allowed to become the architect of Zimbabwe's strike rotation.
His confidence against spin and footwork that would make a ballerina proud, helped Taibu boss the Bangladesh bowlers and score all around the wicket, sweeping and driving with equal distinction. He brought up a feisty half-century with a typical jig down the track and single to mid off. Taylor, whose feet have never been quite as good as Taibu's, played a watchful knock from the other side, maintaining the cautious approach he had employed in the first innings.
With the left-arm spinners losing motivation, runs came easily for the Zimbabwe batsmen who threaded the ball through the gaps and ran well between the wickets, in addition to punishing anything wayward that came their way. Shakib bowled a particularly poor line later in his ten-over spell, veering too much on the leg side, and after conceding five boundaries in three overs took himself off and brought Mahmudullah on.
Together with Razzak, he squeezed the batsmen who managed to score just nine runs in the ten overs before lunch. Taylor and Taibu could have succumbed to frustration in that period but played a strong defensive game to take Zimbabwe into the break in a commanding position.
The second session started in a similarly cautious fashion, with Bangladesh ambling to their fielding positions and moving around the park slowly, trying to kill off any momentum in the match. They bowled just 12 overs in the first hour after lunch, compared to the 17.3 they managed in the first hour of the morning session.
Shafiul Islam was used for the first time in the day and bowled a line wide of off stump, while varying his lengths. Taylor picked him well and reached his fifty off Shafiul, after working him to long leg. Five slow overs were completed before Taibu decided it was time to accelerate and in his first attempt at taking Shafiul on, with a smashing drive, was caught at deep extra cover. Taibu perished in the cause but Taylor and Craig Ervine were able to grow the lead, as they upped the run-rate and took the fight to the bowlers.
They took three overs to get their eye in and then Taylor drove Shafiul through midwicket to take the lead past 300. Ervine had the freedom to play his shots and exacted a magnificent pull off Mahmudullah over midwicket and a sublime drive through the covers. The pair took on the fielders, putting pressure on them as they ran quickly and with self assurance.
Taylor came into his own as the session drew to a close, with a few classic drives. He reached his century with a sweep to backward square leg. As soon as it was hit, his arms were in the air and the group of fans who were chanting "one more, one more" for the two balls he faced on 99, applauded their captain's efforts with delight.
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