AT THE 35th attempt, four years and two months after being elevated to Test status, Bangladesh finally secured their first Test victory yesterday when they beat Zimbabwe by 226 runs. The celebrations in Chittagong were jubilant, but they had a slightly hollow ring to them, given the poor quality of an inexperienced Zimbabwe side making their return to the five-day arena after suspension.

Nevertheless, the victory brought a happy end to a long wait for Bangladesh’s fanatical followers. In their first 34 Test matches, Bangladesh had lost 31 times, drawing only with Zimbabwe (twice, both in rain-affected matches) and West Indies. Their maiden victory was clinched when Chris Mpofu, the Zimbabwe No 11, pushed a catch to Mohammad Ashraful, at silly point, off Enamul Haque Jr, the 18-year-old left-arm spinner.

Zimbabwe, who had resumed on 46 for three in the morning, chasing 381 to win, were all out for 154.

Haque, who took six for 45, recorded the best Test figures by a Bangladesh bowler, while Tapash Baisya and Mashrafe Mortaza, the seam bowlers, shared the other four wickets. Only Hamilton Masakadza, who made 56, and Brendan Taylor, with 44, offered sustained resistance.

In June last year, Zimbabwe were suspended from Test cricket when a consensus among other Test nations decreed that their continued involvement, with a team severely weakened by the absence of several senior players, would be a threat to the integrity of the game. The “rebel” senior players had refused to play against Sri Lanka in April after the sacking as captain of Heath Streak, who had protested about alleged bias in selection.

The two Test matches against Sri Lanka resulted in heavy defeats for an inexperienced Zimbabwe. They lost the first Test by an innings and 240 runs and the second by an innings and 254 runs and were then suspended before they could fulfil a scheduled series against Australia.

Six months later, many of the rebels are pursuing their careers abroad and the team that lost the first Test to Bangladesh yesterday included only one player, Barney Rogers, from the initial group that had supported Streak.

Rogers was one of three players making his debut in a side whose average age was under 21 and who, between them, had won just 47 caps before this Test.

The team that took the field in Chittagong, therefore, was more inexperienced than the side that lost to Sri Lanka in the second Test in Bulawayo in May, the last before suspension. Zimbabwe have one further Test to play in Bangladesh and then, in March, they play two Tests away to South Africa.

If their performances do not improve, those matches could result in further heavy defeats, which may again call into question whether the present Zimbabwe side are compromising the integrity of Test cricket.

SCOREBOARD

BANGLADESH: First Innings 488 (Habibul Bashar 94, Rajin Saleh 89, Mohammad Rafique 69, Nafis Iqbal 56; C B Mpofu 4 for 109)
Second Innings 204 (Habibul Bashar 55; E Chigumbura 5 for 54)
ZIMBABWE: First Innings 312 (T Taibu 92, E Chigumbura 71; Mohammad Rafique 5 for 65)

Second Innings
S Matsikenyeri b Haque 20
B G Rogers c sub b Baisya 0
V Sibanda lbw b Baisya 0
H Masakadza c and b Haque 56
B R M Taylor lbw b Haque 44
*† T Taibu c Aftab Ahmed b Haque 0
E Chigumbura c Mashud b Mortaza 10
M L Nkala b Mortaza 5
A G Cremer c Saleh b Haque 2
D T Hondo not out 6
C B Mpofu c Ashraful b Haque 5
Extras (lb 1, w 1, nb 4) 6
Total (64.2 overs) 154
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-2, 2-2, 3-42, 4-112, 5-115, 6-126, 7-138, 8-143, 9-145.
BOWLING: Mortaza 17-4-45-2; Baisya 10-6-20-2; Haque 22.2-5-45-6; Rafique 15-6-43-0.
Umpires: Asad Rauf (Pakistan) and T H Wijewardena (Sri Lanka).