The year 2014 has just become a whole lot nicer for Bangladesh. After 10 months of losses, failures, suspensions, resignations and sackings, they have completed a 3-0 Test series win over Zimbabwe with a 186-run margin in Chittagong, reports Cricinfo.
The final wicket fell in the 85th over when Natsai M'shangwe was trapped lbw by Shafiul Islam. Craig Ervine, Richmond Mutumbami and Tinashe Panyangara also fell the same way while Shingi Masakadza had his off stump pegged back. Regis Chakabva was the sole source of resistance, making 89 off 181 balls with seven fours and a six.
He hardly played a false shot despite several leg-before appeals, surviving through two reviews, and a chance on 21 when Mushfiqur Rahim dropped a sharp chance.
For Bangladesh, there were two wickets each for Shafiul, Rubel Hossain, Jubair Hossain and Shuvagata Hom. Zimbabwe's eccentric start to the day gave Bangladesh early inroads. Through loud appeals and inside edges, Hamilton Masakadza and Sikandar Raza, having added 67 last evening, looked to play all sorts of shots against spin from both ends.
In the fourth over, Raza completed his second fifty of the match with a four that he could easily have dragged on to his stumps. In the next over, Taijul Islam had a review denied after replays showed the ball was hitting him outside off stump.
It was the ninth time in the series that Bangladesh had their review denied.
Masakadza, having added just 12 runs in the morning and constricted with his drives, played a reverse sweep which was neither attempted nor executed correctly.
He did not go down on his knees enough to lay into the shot as the delivery from Shuvagata took his glove and popped up for Mushfiqur Rahim. Soon after the 93-run second-wicket stand ended, Shuvagata got his second wicket. This time Raza hammered a full toss down Taijul's throat at deep midwicket, ending his innings on 65 off 75 balls with nine fours and two sixes. Brendan Taylor also gave away his wicket, playing a loose drive to Jubair, getting out to him for the third time in the series, all to drives.
This time he was caught at point for 24, ending a mediocre series for himself. Seven minutes before lunch, Jubair took his second wicket when Elton Chigumbura, who had top-scored with 88 in the first innings, cut a ball low to slip where Imrul Kayes took a sharp catch to his right.
scoreboard
Bangladesh 1st innings: 503 (Imrul Kayes 130, Tamim Iqbal 109, Shakib Al Hasan 71; Sikandar Raza 3-123, H Masakadza 2-23, T Panyangara 2-70, S. Masakadza 2-77)
Zimbabwe 1st innings: 374 (E Chigumbura 88, S Raza 82, H Masakadza 81, R Chakabva 65; Jubair Hossain 5-96, Shafiul Islam 2-50)
Bangladesh 2nd innings: 319-5 decl (Mominul Haque 131 not out, Tamim Iqbal 65; T Panyangara 2-31, N M'shangwe 2-77)
Zimbabwe 2nd innings: (overnight 71-1)
S Raza c Taijul b Shuvagata 65
B Chari lbw b Rubel 0
H Masakadza c Rahim b Shuvagata 38
B Taylor c Shakib b Jubair 24
R Chakabva not out 89
E Chigumbura c Imrul b Jubair 5
C Ervine lbw b Mahmudullah 16
R Mutumbami lbw b Taijul 2
T Panyangara lbw b Rubel 2
S Masakadza b Shafiul 0
N M'shangwe lbw b Shafiul 0
Extras: (b14, lb6, w1) 21
Total: (all out; 85 overs) 262
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Chari), 2-97 (Masakadza), 3-116 (Raza), 4-165 (Taylor), 5-179 (Chigumbura), 6-228 (Ervine), 7-237 (Mutumbami), 8-261(Panyangara), 9-262 (S. Masakadza), 10-262 (M'shangwe)
Bowling: Shafiul 9-1-17-2 (w1), Rubel 4-2-16-2, Taijul 22-4-48-1, Jubair 19-3-56-2, Shakib 11-2-35-0, Shuvagata 16-1-66-2, Mahmudullah 4-1-4-1
Bangladesh won by 186 runs; sweep series 3-0
Toss: Bangladesh