Cricket: Bangladesh make good start in big run chase

DHAKA - Bangladesh faced a daunting victory target of 374 on the last day of the second and final test today after Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu scored a fine maiden test century.

By the end of play, Bangladesh had reached 98 without loss with Nafis Iqbal on 55 and Javed Omar on 36. Their opening partnership was Bangladesh's biggest in 36 tests.

Omar was dropped on five by Hamilton Masakadza off Christopher Mpofu in the third over when the score was seven.

Bangladesh's previous record partnership of 91 was also against Zimbabwe in the first test in Chittagong.

Iqbal played 161 balls and hit seven fours and Javed Omar faced 187 with two boundaries.

Zimbabwe skipper Tatenda Taibu used eight bowlers who failed to make the breakthrough in 57 overs.

Earlier, the tourists were bowled out for 286 in their second innings just after lunch, with Taibu smashing 19 fours and two sixes in his 153.

Enamul Haque Junior was Bangladesh's best bowler, taking Zimbabwe's last four wickets to finish with figures of five for 105.

The 18-year-old, the man of the match in the first test when the home team recorded their first win in 35 attempts, became the first Bangladesh player to take 10 wickets in a match when he trapped Graeme Cremer lbw for nought.

Zimbabwe, 1-0 down in the two-match series, resumed on 203 for six and soon lost Tinashe Panyangara (six) who was stumped by wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud off Haque. Cremer followed a few overs later.

Taibu, who made 92 in the first test and 85 not out in the first innings in Dhaka, put on 65 with Douglas Hondo for the ninth wicket, Hondo contributing three before being caught by Aftab Ahmed off Haque.

The left-arm bowler struck again to end Taibu's mammoth innings, caught by Tapash Baisya.

Zimbabwe have just returned from suspension after the International Cricket Council ruled the team was too weak to play test cricket.

- REUTERS