HARARE, 23 February 2004 — A devastating hat trick by Zimbabwe bowler Andy Blignaut put Bangladesh on the brink of defeat on the fourth day of the first Test at the Harare Sports Club.
Bangladesh were already facing a mammoth task in trying to reach 353 runs for victory after Zimbabwe declared their second innings closed on 242-8.
But Blignaut, supported by a pair of wickets for seamer Douglas Hondo, destroyed any slender hopes Bangladesh may have retained. Blignaut ripped out Hannan Sarker for 10, then took Mohammad Ashraful and Mushfique Rahman out on their first ball. With Hondo snatching Habibul Bashar for his third duck in succession on the tour, as well as Shahriar Hossain for just one run, Bangladesh were in ruins at 14-5. At the close they were hanging their heads at 25-5 and needing more than a miracle.
The humiliation lasted just six overs and took less than half an hour and set up a final day today that will surely be a routine mop-up operation for the Zimbabweans.
Finding themselves with a first innings lead of 110 an hour after play began Sunday, Zimbabwe steadily built up a large lead. Sean Ervine, who scored 86 in the first innings, added 74, while Tatenda Taibu, who had made 59, weighed in with another 58.
Zimbabwe had looked vulnerable at 90-4, but the Taibu-Ervine partnership was worth 90 runs and Bangladesh were steadily being put on the rack. Home team captain Heath Streak did not bat because of a muscle spasm in his back, incurred in the dressing room before play.
Coach Geoff Marsh said it was “quite serious” but Streak took the field for the Bangladesh innings, though he did not bowl. A sorrowful Bangladesh side can now only seek some pride on the final morning and then regroup for the second and last Test in Bulawayo beginning Thursday.
