Zimbabweans score 291 for seven against BCB XI

Zimbabweans recovered in the final session of their two-day practice match against the BCB XI at the BKSP-3 in Savar today ahead of the lone Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to begin on February 22.

The Zimbabweans, who scored 291 for seven before stumps, started the game brilliantly as the visitors did not lose any wickets and were able to score 95 runs before Lunch. However, things changed afterwards as the BCB XI took charge in the second session of the game. The BCB XI bowling attack, led by Shahadat Hossain, scalped six wickets in the session and reduced the visitors to 183 for six before Tea.  Kasuza, who scored a team high of a 130-ball 70, also fell to a run-out just before umpires called for Tea.  

In the final session of the game, the Zimbabweans got back through a 49-run sixth-wicket stand between Timycen Maruma and Carl Mumba before the former was dismissed in the 75th over after scoring a 89-ball 34. After that, it was an unbeaten 65-run stand between Mumba and Ainsley Ndlovu that got the visitors through the day. Mumba remained unbeaten on a 105-ball 54 while Ndlovu scored an unbeaten 44-ball 25 before umpires called stumps. For BCB XI, it was Shahadat Hossain who remained most impressive as the off-spinner finished the day with figures of three for 16 in eight overs.

Tea

The BCB XI took control of the game at Tea after the Zimbabweans got off to a great start and scored 95 without any loss before lunch during their only two-day warm up match at the BKSP-3 in Savar today ahead of the lone Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to begin on February 22.

After resumption, the BCB XI got back in the game, picking up six wickets in the session and leaving the Zimbabweans at 183 for six before Tea. Shahadat Hossain was the most impressive during the session as the off-spinner scalped three of the wickets that fell for just five runs during the session. However, it was skipper Al-Amin who broke the magnificent opening partnership when he removed Prince Masvaure in the 31st over after he strung a 105-run stand with Kevin Kasuza. After that, the Zimbabweans then kept on losing wickets at regular intervals with Shahadat scalping two in the 49th over. Kasuza, who scored a 130-ball 70, also fell to a run-out just before umpies called for Tea.  

Lunch

The Zimbabweans are playing their only two-day warm up match against the BCB XI ahead of the lone Test against Bangladesh and thanks to openers Prince Masvaure and Kevin Kasuza, the Zimbabweans got off to a terrific start at the BKSP-3 in Savar today.

The Zimbabweans scored 95 without any loss before Lunch. Masvaure remains unbeaten on 40 off 68 deliveries while his partner Kasuza scored an unbeaten 100-ball 51. The BCB XI includes five Bangladesh Under-19 players -- Akbar Ali, Shoriful Islam, Mahmudul Hasan, Shahadat Hossain and Parvez Hossain Emon --  who had recently won the nation's first World Cup by beating India during the ICC Under-19 World Cup final in Potchefstroom.

However, the young BCB XI side could not trouble the Zimbabweans, at least not during the first session of the game as the visitors were able to score runs with ease. But the BCB XI might rue not taking the only chance in the game so far when skipper Al-Amin dropped Masvaure off a Shoriful Islam delivery.