Taylor ton steadies Zimbabwe

Bangladesh players celebrate picking up Zimbabwe opener Vusi Sibanda on the first day of first Test at Harare Wednesday. Photo: Associated Press

Riding on the century of Captain Brendan Taylor Zimbabwe recovered its early damage by scoring 217 on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

Taylor rescued the drowning Zimbabwe as the host suffered a major blow when key batsman Hamilton Masakadza went back without contributing much for the team.

Earlier, Masakadza steadied the hosts’ by scoring 25 off 100 balls after fall of both the openers as Bangladeshi bowlers dominated the opening day, picking up three wickets and conceding very few runs.

Zimbabwe scored 217 in 90 overs at 9:25 pm when this report was filed.

Captain Brendan Taylor and E Chigumbura were at crease with 104 and 6.

Spinner Enamul Haque picked up the wicket of Hamilton Masakadza in the 40th over. His second ball in the over pitched on the off side, took inwards turn and caught the outside edge of Masakadza’s bat before finding its place in the hands of Mahmudullah at slip.

Masakadza hit two boundaries to score 25 off 100 balls.

Earlier Zimbabwean opener Vusi Sibanda was clean bowled in the first ball of ninth over. He missed to defend a yorker to see the middle stump dislodged. Sibanda managed to score 5 off 21 balls.

Robiul hit again the 15th over. His fourth ball in the over saw Maruma’s leg before the wicket, seeing off the opener returning on 10 off 46 balls.

Winning the toss in the first Test, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim invited his counterpart Brendan Taylor to bat first.

Pacer Robiul Islam opened bowling for Bangladesh. Rubel Hossain followed him up in the next over.

The sides start the Test in contrasting moods as Bangladesh have been riding a wave of newfound competence in Tests while Zimbabwe have had five consecutive losses after their heady success against Bangladesh in their return from Test exile in August 2011.

The match is being telecast live by satellite television channels Maasranga and Ten Cricket.

SQUADS:

Bangladesh: Shahriar Nafees, Jahurul Islam, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Nasir Hossain, Shohag Gazi, Enamul Haque, Rubel Hossain and Robiul Islam.

Zimbabwe: Vusi Sibanda, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor, Malcom Waller, Richmond Mutumbami, Elton Chigumbura, Keegan Meth, Graeme Cremer, Shingi Masakadza and Kyle Jarvis.