Bangladesh crush Zimbabwe again

Oh hapless Zimbabwe. After all they’ve been through, they just take more and more of a beating. Their tour of the other minnows of the Test playing world (still counting Zimbabweas a Test playing nation) is not going at all to plan. Today brought their 5th international loss to Bangladesh on the tour, the 4th out of 4 ODIs to go with the solitary Twenty20 International.

The hosts are a fast improving nation, though, and have set about dispatching Zimbabwe with ruthless efficiency. Today their bowlers turned the screw and the tourists could only manage to eek out 146 runs in all bar 16 balls of their permitted 50 overs.

At the forefront of this charge was seamer Mashrafe Mortaza. Mortaza struck with the 17th ball of the match when he took Chibhabha’s outside edge. Hamilton Masakadza (13) and Tino Mawoyo (14) took the score to 40 before Mortaza struck again when Mawoyo played on. Masakadza followed just 6 balls later, top edging spinner Abdur Razzak’s second ball to Habibul Bashar. The fourth wicket fell with the score still on 40 – Shahadat Hossain claiming his first wicket.

From 40-4 there was no coming back for Zimbabwe, as the spin trio of Razzak, Rafique and Saqibul Hasan applied the pressure. Razzak added Brendon Taylor’s wicket to the tally, neatly stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim.

Elton Chigumbura and Keith Dabengwa battled against the tide and recorded 32 runs each in a vain attempt to drag the tourists back to some respectability. However, on with Zimbabwe on 96, Hasan claimed Chigumbura and it was almost over. Only 21 from Zimbabwe’s captain and number 10 batsman, Prosper Utseya, dragged his side to 146. Mortaza finished with 3 wickets for 14 after coming back and taking Utseya, the last wicket to fall.

In reply to the tourists modest total, Bangladeshes openers Shahriar Nafees (34) and Mehrab Hossain (13) built a solid platform of 43 runs beofre Gary Brent took the wicket of Mehrab. Brent, a veteran of 53 ODIs amongst Zimbabwe’s inexperienced kids, had Nafees caught at third man also. But it was too little too late as Aftab Ahmed, with support from Saqibul Hasan (31*), finished the game with a wonderful unbeaten 58, including 4 sixes.

Zimbabwe have a last game to save face tomorrow, the last of the 5 ODIs. I wouldn’t hold much hope.

Zimbabwe 146 all out (47.4)
Elton Chigumbura 32, Keith Dabengwa 32
Mashrafe Mortaza 3-14, Abdur Razzak 2-27

Bangladesh 147-2 (32.2)
Aftab Ahmed 58*, Shahriar Nafees 34
Gary Brent 2-25

Bangladesh win by 8 wickets
Bangladesh lead the series 4-0