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Taijul Islam grabbed his 16th five-wicket haul in his career as Bangladesh claimed the upper hand at the end of the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe at the Bir Shrestha Flight Lieutenant Motiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram on Monday.Ìý

Zimbabwe slipped to 227-9 from 177-2 at stumps with Tafadzwa Tsiga and Blessing Muzarabani unbeaten on 18 and two, respectively.Ìý

Taijul took 5-60 while Nayeem Hasan, who has been playing his first Test since October last year, grabbed 2-42.Ìý

Winning the toss, Zimbabwe had two moderate partnerships of 41 and 31 runs at the top. Brian Bennett became the first wicket of the debutant pacer Tanzim Hasan, while Ben Curran inside-edged one to the stumps off Taijul.Ìý

But after a two-wicket first session, Nick Welch and Sean Williams put the visitors in a strong position as they remained unscathed in the second session where the Bangladesh bowlers toiled hard. Both batters got their fifties before the tea break.Ìý

Nayeem then struck twice in consecutive overs to get rid of Craig Ervine and Williams (67) after Welch was forced to retire hurt due to cramp.Ìý

Taijul was then all over the Zimbabwean batters as he started to reap the rewards for his disciplined bowling.Ìý

Wessly Madhevere was undone by a delivery that turned sharply and was caught behind. The left-arm spinner then had Wellington Masakadza and Richard Ngarava in consecutive deliveries. Masakadza was plumbed in front while Ngarava was clean bowled.Ìý

Taijul didn’t get the hat-trick but got his fifth of the innings when Welch, after returning to the crease from injury, was bowled while trying to play a big shot. Vincent Masekesa’s run-out came earlier to sink Zimbabwe further.Ìý

Taijul believed that they got the reward of their disciplined bowling.Ìý

‘The main thing was every bowler at a time bowled for long,’ said Taijul.Ìý

‘There were maiden overs. These things are important. When you bowl in such a partnership, there's a chance that you get a wicket. Bowling in a partnership is important.

Ìý‘Sometimes you will see wickets falling on a flat wicket; sometimes it doesn’t even happen on good wickets. When you create pressure, there's a chance of getting wickets.Ìý

‘Of course there's a difference between the Sylhet wicket and this one. But at the time, they were playing very well. Our plan was to remain disciplined and check the runs. There are records that even after a 100-150 run partnership, two or three wickets fall [quickly].’

Taijul also said that the hosts should be in a good position from this point.Ìý

Ìý‘They are a very good team. Their bowlers bowl well, maintaining good line and length. But the condition is favourable to us. And today we have come back in such a way that, I think, we should be in a good position on this wicket,’ he said.

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