Zimbabwe dominate first day

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP):

Hamilton Masakadza and Vusi Sibanda made half-centuries as Zimbabwe dominated the first day of its return to Test cricket against Bangladesh yesterday.

Masakadza was 88 not out as Zimbabwe went to stumps at Harare Sports Club on a commanding 264-2. Sibanda was out for 78, his first Test half century.

Zimbabwe's top order batsmen combined for partnerships of 102, 60 and 102 to take early control in their first Test in six years, after being put in to bat by Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan.

"I think the guys showed a lot of maturity today," Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor said. "But listen, it's still four days to go and a lot of cricket to be played. We just need to come back tomorrow and make it difficult for them to come back in the game."

Zimbabwe had been expected to struggle on their Test return after such a long absence. Criticism of the board this week from former captain Tatenda Taibu - who is in the team - had also threatened to overshadow the match.

But there was no sign of unrest in the camp and inexperienced openers Sibanda and Tino Mawoyo (43) began with a solid century opening stand.

Promising second start

Masakadza then attacked from No. 3 to give Zimbabwe a promising second start in the five-day format.

The one-off Test is Zimbabwe's first since 2005, when a fallout between senior players and administrators led to an exodus of their top cricketers and the self-imposed exile.

Medium pacer Rubel Hossain (2-58) was the only wicket-taker for the visitors on a green, bouncy pitch that the Bangladesh seamers failed to take advantage of.

Masakadza hit seven fours and a six off 203 balls for his second-highest Test score, having made his first and only Test century on debut against West Indies as a 17-year-old schoolboy in 2001.

The 27-year-old Masakadza, who was dropped from Zimbabwe's World Cup squad earlier this year, shared a half-century partnership with Sibanda and a century stand with new skipper Taylor - who was 40 not out at the close.

"Thoughts of getting a hundred were there, but I just decided to take it ball by ball," said Masakadza. "Tomorrow we will come back and take it session by session."

Zimbabwe's day almost began with a disastrous run-out when Sibanda went scampering up the wicket from the non-striker's end in the second over.

He was sent back by Mawoyo, but was still well short of his crease when Robiul Islam's careless throw missed the stumps and went for four overthrows.

Mawoyo - one of four Zimbabweans making their Test debuts - hit seven fours before he was the first wicket to fall, three balls before lunch.

Zimbabwe 1st innings

T. Mawoyo c Mahmudullah b

Rubel Hossain 43

V. Sibanda c Mushfiqur Rahim b

Rubel Hossain 78H. Masakadza not out 88B. Taylor not out 40Extras: (4b, 10lb, 1w) 15Total: (for 2 wickets) 264Overs: 90

Fall of wickets: 1-102, 2-162.

Still to bat: Craig Ervine, Tatenda Taibu, Elton Chigumbura, Ray Price, Chris Mpofu, Brian Vitori, Kyle Jarvis.

Bowling: S. Islam 17-7-30-0, R.obiul Islam 18-0-68-0 (1w), Rubel Hossain 18-1-58-2, Shakib Al Hasan 18-2-40-0, Abdur Razzak 19-1-54-0.

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena, Sri Lanka, and Bruce Oxenford, Australia.