Masakadza helps Zimbabwe to win by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
Scorecard:	Zimbabwe v Bangladesh
Player:	H Masakadza, BRM Taylor, Raqibul Hasan, Mahbubul Alam
Event:	Bangladesh in Zimbabwe 2009

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DateLine: 14th August 2009

 

Zimbabwe on the back of Masakadza’s maiden century made a comeback into the series which at one point seemed to be going in Bangladesh’s way. After suffering huge losses to Bangladesh it was the turn off the home team to inflict a huge loss on Bangladesh.

 

Shakib Al Hasan had won the toss and invited Zimbabwe in to bat and his decision was vindicated as Zimbabwe lost two quick wickets. Sibanda was the first one to go as he edged a perfect outswinger from Mahbubul Alam through to the keeper and then Vermeulen followed back to the pavilion as he flicked the same bowler to Mahmudullah at midwicket as Zimbabwe slipped to 17 for the loss of two wickets. Masakadza was joined by Coventry and they put the derailing innings back on track with some scintillating shot play. The pair added 43 in 8.2 overs before poor judgement in running between the wickets cost Coventry his wicket.

 

Masakadza and Taylor did not go for their shots from the onset but began to consolidate. The treated each ball on its merit and more importantly they rotated the strike with some sharp singles. For around eleven overs no boundary was struck but then as the innings as the pair ran the Bangladeshi fielders ragged with some sharp singles. Masakadza’s knock was an intelligently played one as he thumped some huge sixes and found the boundary ropes just when he felt that the run-rate needed a push. Taylor meanwhile was busy as he concentrated on collecting the singles and the doubles with deft placement.

 

Masakadza crossed his maiden one day century, but he was cleaned up a slower ball from Rasel when he tried to heave across the line. Taylor meanwhile had crossed the fifty run mark and began to find the occasional boundaries. Chigumbura was quickly into his stride, slamming six over long-on and slashing through point. He offered a chance to Rahim but it was floored, and Chigumbura responded with consecutive boundaries. The pair added 90 in just fifty balls as Chigumbura went beserk with his batting. He crossed his fifty which included some powerful biffs as the Bangladeshi fielders looked completely demoralised with the kind of batting display they saw from the Zimbabwean batsmen.

 

Bangladesh in reply got off to the worst possible start as they lost Tamim Iqbal off the first ball off their innings. The pattern of the Bangladeshi innings remained the same as they lost wickets at regular intervals not due to some spectacular bowling but due to some irresponsible shots. Naeem Islam lost his leg stump to a wild slog against Chigumbura in the second over and Mohammad Ashraful skied a cut to third man. Shakib Al Hasan tried to hit his way out off trouble but after swing Chigumbura for a massive six he tried to heave another one over the top but he could only top edge to midwicket. It was then left to Raqibul Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim to salvage an increasingly hopeless situation.

 

The pair added 68 in 13 over and was set for the final flourish. But Ray Price picked up Mushfiqur Rahim to put pay to such thoughts. Wickets continued to tumble at disturbing pace for the Bangladeshi team with only Raqibul Hasan providing some resistance. One he fell, Mehrab Hossain and Enamul Haque joined forces and added 65 runs in 9.2 overs. But barring that there was nothing of gain for the Bangladeshi team from this match.