Associated Press

Dhaka, January 14:

Left-arm spinner Enamul Haque took four wickets for 32 runs on Friday as Zimbabwe stumbled on the first day of the second Test against Bangladesh. At stumps, captain Tatenda Taibu was unbeaten at 49 with Tinashe Panyangara on 14 as Zimbabwe posted 244-6. Taibu — eyeing his sixth half-century in 17 matches — was lucky not to be adjudged lbw at 36 when a Mohammad Rafique delivery appeared to hit him on the pad. Taibu, 21, missed his maiden century by six runs in the first Test at Chittagong.

Rafique, another left-arm spinner, was the most economic bowler, conceding 48 runs off 32 overs, including 13 maidens. After losing four quick wickets in the second session, Taibu and Elton Chigumbura added fifty runs to steady the Zimbabwe innings. But Chigumbura was caught at point by Mohammad Ashraful as paceman Tapash Baishya claimed his second wicket of the day with a new ball.

Earlier, Stuart Matsikenyeri hit a half-century and combined for a 65-run opening partnership with Barney Rogers after Taibu won the toss and opted to bat. The Bangladesh spin bowlers — fresh from their historic 226-run triumph over Zimbabwe in the first Test — failed to capitalise on the early morning moisture on a batting wicket at Dhaka’s Bangabandhu National Stadium. The first wicket for the hosts came 85 minutes into the first session, when Haque bowled out Rogers (29) in his first over. Haque also dismissed Matsikenyeri, bowling him for 51. Matsikenyeri, 21, hit his second Test 50 off 95 balls, including eight boundaries.

Haque then trapped Dion Ebrahim (12) lbw, before taking out Brendan Taylor (2) in similar manner with the score at 111-4. Ebrahim was earlier saved by the TV umpire from a caught behind call. A 60-run, fifth-wicket stand between Hamilton Masakadza and Taibu propelled Zimbabwe to 171. But the partnership ended when Masakadza (43) was caught at mid-wicket by Aftab Ahmed off a Tapash Baishya delivery.