Blignaut restricts Bangladesh

BULAWAYO, APRIL 19. Bangladesh was 256 for nine at close on the opening day of the first Test against Zimbabwe here on Thursday.

Opening batsman Jave Omar's 62 and Aminul Islam's 84 were the highlights of Bangladesh's innings which saw debutant bowler Andy Blignaut pick up four wickets for 72.

Bangladesh, put into bat, had its slices of luck as Omar on 38 and 43, sent edges through the slip cordon off fast bowlers Heath Streak and Andy Blignaut, and on 57 he was dropped in the gully by Guy Whittall off Blignaut.

Omar and Islam put on 84 for the third wicket after Bangladesh had slumped to 30 for two. Brian Murphy ended their partnership midway through the second session when Omar pushed forward and edged the leg-spinner's second delivery of the match to Dion Ebrahim at silly point.

Zimbabwe captain Streak's decision to bowl was prompted by a well-grassed pitch. However, Streak was the main reason why Zimbabwe did not make further early inroads into the Bangladesh batting order as he bowled wide of the wicket and failed to make the batsmen play often enough in his opening spell of seven overs.

Streak shared the new ball with debutant fast bowler Blignaut, who was much tighter.

Blignaut struck first when Mehrab Hossain, on 16, drove hard at an away swinger with the total on 26. The edge flew head high to Mluleki Nkala at second slip, who palmed the ball up for third slip Whittall to complete the catch.

Thirteen balls later, a wider delivery from Blignaut drew Habibul Bashar into a wild slash outside off-stump and Murphy took the catch at point to dismiss the Bangladesh number three for a duck.

Blignaut was also responsible for the fourth dismissal of the innings when he sprinted from gully to third man to field Akram Khan's late cut.

He then turned and threw to wicketkeeper Andy Flower to run out Khan, who was taking a second run, for 21.

- Reuters

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