Zimbabwe dealt an early blow on Bangladesh, after they bowled out the home side for 191 runs on the first day of the Sylhet Test wellington Masakadza and Blessing Muzarabani led the charge with three wickets each while Victor Nyauchi and Wessley Madhevere provided impressive support with their two wickets apiece.

The visitors finished the day on a good note too, as their openers Ben Curran and Brian Bennett saw off the 14.1 overs unscathed, with 67 runs on the board. Zimbabwe couldn’t have asked for a better start in a venue where they also beat Bangladesh seven years ago. Bangladesh’s batting woes continued despite a five-month break from Test cricket. They have now been bowled out for under 200 for the sixth time in their last ten Test innings.

Bangladesh’s top order once again didn’t provide them the start. The middle order collapsed too, from 98 for 2, to lose four wickets for 48 runs, after a bit of recovery. Monimul Haque top-scored with 56 while captain Najimul Hossain Shanto made 40, but neither converting to big scores after making starts.

It was Nyauchi who provided Zimbabwe with their first pair of breakthroughs in the first hour. He broke Bangladesh’s opening stand with his fourth ball, when Shadman Islam edged Nyauchi’s wide delivery to gully. Brian Bennett took a splendid catch diving forward. Nyauchi removed Mahmudul Hasan Joy in his next over, bowling an impeccable line, to get the right-hander caught behind for 14.

At the other end, Mominul was dropped before opening his account. Wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo couldn’t hold on to the chance that came off Mominul’s bat when he tried to avoid Muzarabani’s short ball. Bangladesh still went to lunch on 84 for 2, after seeing off Zimbabwe’s threat with the new ball.

The visitors however weren’t done yet. Muzarabani peppered Shanto with plenty of short deliveries after lunch. The break lasted an extra thirty minutes due to rain. Shanto, having struck six fours in his knock, couldn’t keep another Muzarabani short ball down, giving Wessly Madhevere a simple catch at point.

Still there was hope for Bangladesh’s two most experienced batters – Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul – to steady the ship. Instead, their dismissals sparked a collapse.

Mushfiqur followed the captain back to the pavilion after making four, when he gave Mazakadza a gift of a wicket in his first over. Mushfiqur couldn’t quite believe it when he struck Masakadza to short midwicket where Bennett completed the catch.

Mominul was next to go, swiping Masakadza to short midwicket after making 56. It was perhaps Mominul’s push for quicker runs that prompted the shot, but it looked too soft in the circumstance. Muzarabani brought back his short-ball prescription for Mehidy Hasan Miraz, knocking him out almost with a brute of a delivery. Mehidy was caught napping in his fourth ball, awkwardly gloving the ball to wicketkeeper Mayavo for a simple catch.

The tail caved in quickly with Jaker Ali on the other end. Taijul Islam was caught behind down the leg-side giving Masakadza his third wicket. Muzarabani clean bowled Hasan Mahmud, before Madhevere removed Jaker and Nahid Rana in the same over to bowl out Bangladesh in the 61st over.

Brief scores:
Zimbabwe 67 for no loss (Brian Bennett 40*, Ben Curran 17*) trail Bangladesh 191 in 61 overs (Mominul Haque 56, Nojimul Hossain Shanto 40, Jaker Ali 28; Wellington Masakadza 3-21, Blessing Muzarabani 3-50, Victor Nyauchi 2-74, Wessley Madghevere 2-02) by 124 runs

[Cricinfo]