Zimbabwe slow off the mark

The Zimbabwe team hate references of being at the basement of Test cricket, but the way they went about disproving that label today was not altogether convincing. They batted laboriously for most of the day to reach 441, a total that, nevertheless, should be beyond Bangladesh's reach. The main features of the innings were an uncharacteristically slow half-century from Heath Streak and a brisk 71 from Gavin Ewing. The innings lasted 160.2 overs - slow scoring by modern standards.

It was not a day to promote Test cricket to the public, although there were perhaps 1000 spectators - mostly schoolchildren - a good total for a weekday at Harare. It was hard to understand why Zimbabwe were so laborious in their batting against a bowling attack that was no more than steady. It was not the easiest of pitches to score runs on, thanks to the amount of rain that has fallen recently, but the Zimbabwe batsmen, for the most part, made heavy weather of their task.

Four half-centuries were scored during the day, with six in the entire innings, but none of the batsmen went on to reach three figures. In the morning session there were the occasional bursts of strokeplay from Tatenda Taibu and Sean Ervine, especially off the new ball, of which the Bangladeshi bowlers made poor use. Ervine was the top scorer with 86, but he slowed noticeably as he neared what would have been a maiden Test century.

Streak's slowest Test fifty took him 212 balls, but that was in a bid to save a match against New Zealand in 2000-01. He played a few vintage strokes, but never sought to dominate, a strange attitude by such a powerful strokeplayer. And it was disappointing to watch Andy Blignaut, potentially Zimbabwe's answer to Adam Gilchrist, potter around for seven runs before having a rush of blood to the head and leaping down the pitch to be stumped. This man should forget "playing proper" and return to what he does best - destroying bowling attacks.

Bangladesh over-used Mohammad Rafique, and he became less threatening the longer he toiled. Their pace bowlers could contain at times, but rarely looked dangerous. Their most threatening, Tapash Baishya, was also the most expensive. The third day should show whether Bangladesh have the vision and fortitude to save the match, if they are not helped by the uncertain weather.