Zimbabwe embarrass Tigers with innings and 85-run victory

Zimbabwe put Bangladesh through an embarrassing one-off Test in Harare, registering their biggest victory in Test cricket by thumping the visitors by an innings and 85 runs on Day 3 on Tuesday.

Resuming their second innings on 40 for one from nine overs overnight, Bangladesh lasted just over a session before being bowled out for 185 in 45 overs.

Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy departed early after scoring 22, falling in just the second over of the day. A Blessing Muzarabani delivery climbed sharply from a good length, took the shoulder of his bat and looped to gully for a simple catch.

Mominul Haque, who showed the most application in the first innings with a half-century, failed to replicate that effort. He pushed at a full delivery from Muzarabani and was caught in the slip cordon after a superb catch by Brad Evans.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim briefly stemmed the slide with a 61-run partnership as Bangladesh crossed the 100-run mark. Shanto looked set for a bigger score before falling for 30 after inside-edging a full toss from Newman Nyamhuri.

Mushfiqur departed soon after, edging a leg-side delivery behind to the wicketkeeper for 34. Lunch was taken immediately after his dismissal, with Bangladesh on 117 for five after losing four wickets in the opening session.

The second session brought no respite. Debutant Towhid Hridoy edged a Muzarabani delivery while rooted to the crease and fell for nine. Amite Hasan struck a few boundaries in a run-a-ball 25 before Richard Ngarava claimed his wicket.

Hasan Mahmud was the last man to fall as Bangladesh slumped to an innings defeat.

Muzarabani was the architect of Zimbabwe's biggest Test victory, claiming four for 65, while Ngarava and Nyamhuri picked up three and two wickets respectively.

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