Win didn't come easy

Hosts Bangladesh A beat their Zimbabwean counterparts by six wickets in the first four-day encounter at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox's Bazar yesterday.
The hosts, chasing a target of 104, finished the game before lunch on the final day of the match.
On an overnight score of 43 for 1, the second-stringed Bangladesh side required another 61 runs on the final day. As easy as their task may have been the hosts suffered a jolt early on when they lost three quick wickets.
Liton Kumar, who has been the mainstay for the hosts in this match, was caught five overs into the day's play and was sent back for 42. Three overs later Marshall Ayub was trapped in front for 13, by leg-spinner Wellington Masakadza, who took his total tally to eight wickets in the match.
Rakibul Hasan was the next to depart. He looked good initially as he drove two fours. However, in the 27th over he was caught off slow left-armer Tinotenda Mutombodzi for 10.
At 72 for 4, there were fears of a collapse similar to the first innings, which saw the hosts lose their last seven wickets for just 17 runs on a slow and turning wicket. However, captain Naeem Islam and Forhad Hossain eased the nerves with a 33-run stand and took their side home.
Slow left-armer Saqlain Sajib was handed the player-of-the-match's award for his figures of 15 for 132 -- the best on Bangladesh's first-class circuit.
The second four-day match will begin on September 21 at the Khan Saheb Osman Ali Stadium at Fatullah. After the four-dayer, the teams will face off in three 50-over games at the same venue.

SCORES IN BRIEF
ZIMBABWE A: 206 and 108
BANGLADESH A: 211 and 105 for 4 (Liton 42, Naeem 15 not out, Forhad 16 not out; Masakadza 2-46)
Result: Bangladesh A won by six wickets; Player-of-the-match: Saqlain Sajib.