Nayeem, Ervine dominate as honours even after day one

Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine and Bangladesh off-spinner Nayeem Hasan starred on the first day of the one-off Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe as the visitors ended the day on 228-6. Ervine scored a brilliant 107 to lay the foundation for Zimbabwe whereas it was Nayeem's persistence which kept Bangladesh at the end of day's play. 

Winning the toss, Zimbabwe skipper Ervine opted to bat first and they were in a strong position till the end of the second session as they had only lost three wickets till then.

Starting the session on 150-3, Sikandar Raza and Ervine put up 24 runs more before Nayeem got rid of Raza. Raza feathered a straight delivery from Nayeem and Liton Das took the catch. Nayeem bowled a mammoth 32-over spell which started in the 11th over and ended in the 74th. 

Timycen Maruma came in next and he was given out LBW off Taijul. But Maruma reviewed and replays showed that the ball was missing the stumps. 

Maruma though did not last long either as he was sent back  by Abu Jayed Rahi. Rahi trapped Maruma plumb in front of the stumps and the umpire obliged. Maruma reviewed once again, but this time there was no escape as replays showed that the umpire's verdict was correct.

But the Zimbabwean skipper showed his grit and displayed some fantastic shots to pick up the third hundred of his career. This was Ervine's first stint as skipper and he is only the third Zimbabwean skipper to score a century on his captaincy debut. The first was David Houghton, who had scored 121 against India at Harare in 1992 on his captaincy debut.

Craig Ervine was finally sent back by Nayeem when a brilliant delivery from the off-spinner went through the left-handed batsman's defenses. The ball hit leg stump and Ervine had to go back for 107. 

Regis Chakabva and Donald Tiripano managed to see off the day as Zimbabwe ended the day on 228-6.

Rahi picked up a couple wickets for Bangladesh whereas Prince Masvaure scored a fifty for Zimbabwe.