B’desh looking to do better in Second Test
Chastened by a heavy defeat that has once again highlighted their
lack of progress, Bangladesh begin the second and final Test against
Zimbabwe on Thursday looking to prove they can adapt to foreign
conditions and match their fellow Test strugglers.
The Asian side came into the series as hot favourites after improved
performances in Sri Lanka, only to be bowled out for 134 and 147 as they
lost the first Test to Zimbabwe by 335 runs at Harare Sports Club.
With the second Test being played on the same ground another
green-tinged pitch is expected, and Bangladesh will need to show far
greater durability against Zimbabwe’s talented but inexperienced pace
attack if they are to come away from the series with some dignity.
“We didn’t play with any patience and we need to improve that,”
Bangladesh coach Shane Jurgensen said on Tuesday. “We just have to bat
for longer.
“When the game starts we have to be very disciplined in our approach
to every ball, and do our basics well, which we probably didn’t do in
the first game.” The Tigers will also need to find a way to dismiss
Brendan Taylor cheaply, after he became just the third Zimbabwean to
score back-to-back centuries in a Test match.
Taylor was dropped once on his way to 171 in the first innings, but
did not offer a chance as he breezed to 102 not out in the second. “We
have certainly been working towards the best way that we can address
that situation,” said Jurgensen.
“If we get him out for a low score then we have the opportunity to
put some pressure on their other batters.” The tourists have been hit
with fresh injury worries, with fast bowlers Rubel Hossain and Shahadat
Hossain both returning home to be replaced by seamer Shafiul Islam and
uncapped allrounder Ziaur Rahman.
However opening batsman Tamim Iqbal could return from a broken thumb,
while Shakib Al Hasan will be back to full bowling fitness, giving
Bangladesh’s selectors the option to pick an extra seamer. Zimbabwe, on
the other hand, could field the same side that turned out in the first
Test and will be buoyed by the opportunity to win a series by more than
one match for just the second time in their history.
“It’s big for us - even 10 years ago, with the players we had back
then, we struggled to win series,” said Taylor. “We just have to focus
on day one and not look too far ahead.
AFP.
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