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Zimbabwe struck consistently, but Bangladesh scored well on the first day of the only Test at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.
Bangladesh won the toss and surprisingly chose to bat. Zimbabwe handed debuts to Takudzwanashe Kaitano and former under-19 captain Dion Myers.
Zimbabwe started well, two wickets in the first five overs from star bowler Blessing Muzarabani, removing Saif Hassan (0) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (2) early on.
Unfortunately after that Zimbabwe were unable to press home an advantage, as Bangladesh were rescued by a fine partnership between Liton Das and Mahmudullah.
Shadman Islam stayed in with grim defence, but the experienced Mominul Haque began to stabilise the innings, waiting for the loose balls and hitting them well.
After an hour or so, Islam began to open up, though he enjoyed some lucky edges, and Donald Tiripano and Victor Nyauchi were unable to sustain the pressure all the time, with the early life in the pitch having gone.
However, just as the partnership was looking settled, Ngarava broke through, as Islam (23) played a hesitant shot and edged a good ball to Brendan Taylor at first slip; 68 for three.
At lunch the score had moved to 70 for three, with Monimul Haque on 32 and the next man, Mushfiqur Rahim, on one.
After lunch Muzarabani returned for a second spell, but Haque quickly ran to his fifty off 64 balls.
Just after that, though, he popped up a slower ball towards mid-on, but Ngarava apparently lost sight of it and was unable to get forward to the chance in time.
However, Muzarabani did break through as he moved a ball in to Rahim on 11, to which the batsman offered no stroke and was given out lbw; 106 for four.
Shakib Al Hasan, in next, did not last long, as he groped at a ball from Nyauchi outside his off stump and edged a catch to the keeper.
He was out for three, at 109 for five, and walked off without waiting for the umpire’s decision, a rare and sporting action in modern cricket.
Haque had another life on 60, as he pushed a chance back to Muzarabani, but the bowler failed to hold it.
Haque seemed to be celebrating with two fours off Nyauchi, but then he cut the last ball of the over, none too hard, straight to gully, where Myers took another catch.
He had made 70 off 92 balls, with 13 fours, more than half his team’s score at this stage, for as he left the field the scoreboard read 132 for six wickets.
Das had announced his presence at the crease with two handsome boundaries through the covers, and he now settled down in partnership with Mahmudullah to rescue the innings.
They both found some easy boundaries as the bowlers could not maintain the pressure and by tea they had taken the score to 167 for six wickets, with Das on 26 and Mahmudullah 14.
Das opened out after the interval, taking the attack to the bowlers, and a slog-sweep off Milton Shumba took him to his fifty, off 86 balls, and also brought up the Bangladesh 200.
Then the century partnership was reached.
The pair more than doubled the score and Das was on the verge of a maiden Test century when he pulled a ball from Tiripano, only for Nyauchi to pick up a fine low catch near the fine-leg boundary.
Das made a very impressive 95, off 147 balls with 13 fours, and the score was now 270 for seven.
Tiripano’s next delivery was full and straight, and trapped the new batsman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, lbw first ball.
Not long afterwards the second new ball finally became due and in Muzarabani’s first over with it, an inside edge for four brought Mahmudullah a well-deserved fifty off 133 balls.
After three overs with the new ball the umpires offered the light to the batsmen, who decided to go off with the score on 294 for eight wickets, ending play for the day.
Mahmudullah had 54 and Taskin Ahmed 13.
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