Large and in-charge: Muzarabani proves too big a hurdle for Bangladesh

Blessing Muzarabani was always going to hit the pitch hard. He has the height advantage, and he had already used it well to take six wickets in the match. Could he do the same on the fourth day of a Test match in Bangladesh?

He wasn't supposed to get a lot of purchase out of his method. The straw-coloured surface should have become benign by then. That is how pitches in Sylhet have behaved in the last few years, particularly if you consider how the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test match played out last year. The ball on this fourth day was also 57 overs old. The bowler in question had to be a little tired, this being his fifth or sixth spell in the match.

Second ball, Muzarabani bumped one into Najmul Hossain Shanto. The left-hander, on 60 off 104, rolled his wrists over the ball to try and keep the pull down, but it didn't work. The bounce coupled with the angle of the ball going across him was too much. Muzarabani's eyes lit up when the ball took the top edge, and his celebration knew no bounds when Victor Nyauchi took a tumbling catch diving forward at fine leg.

Zimbabwe had got rid of Bangladesh's batting lynchpin at an ideal time. They had done a similar thing in the first innings when they got Shanto just as Bangladesh were turning a corner. This time, Zimbabwe struck before Bangladesh could even sit down properly in the dressing room.

"Getting Shanto out as early as that in the first over was great for us," the captain Craig Ervine said. "We wanted to get early wickets. I thought the way Blessing started was outstanding. He gave us the opportunity to put the squeeze on [even though] Jaker Ali played a really good role at the bottom end.

"Blessing was our strike bowler in this Test match. I was giving him short bursts. I thought Richie [Ngarava] and Vicky [Nyauchi] had important roles holding the attack. Welly [Masakadza] and [Wessly Madhevere] bowled well too. In between those spells, it was important not to leak too many runs. When Blessing came back and bowled in the majority of his spells, he caused a lot of problems."

Muzarabani's five-wicket haul came soon afterwards, when he had Mehidy Hasan Miraz caught at gully. Mehidy was always batting half expecting a bouncer, and half hoping for a full ball. He was caught between the two, and the bat came down late. Brian Bennett took the catch.

Bangladesh lost three wickets in the first 5.3 overs of the day. Jaker struck the ball around for a while, but he was simply delaying the inevitable, batting with the Bangladesh tail. When he was starting to look a bit too comfortable, Ervine brought back Muzarabani for one last burst.

Again, the tall fast bowler took just two balls to do his job. Jaker couldn't quite hit him over midwicket, with Nick Welch settling under a catch at the boundary. Muzarabani's prophecy of trying to keep Bangladesh below a 200-run lead came true, thanks to him.

Ervine said he rated Muzarabani highly, as he has now impressed with both the red and the white ball. He is slowly making an impact in some of the T20 leagues too, having played in the ILT20, the CPL, the PSL and the T20 Blast.

"I think he [Muzarabani] would be up there," Ervine said. "He has the experience through red ball and playing various leagues. He has the mindset. He has shown his ability. I am really excited to see where he goes in his career in all formats."

Muzarabani took 7 for 58 against Ireland in Zimbabwe's previous Test in February this year. He also took 6 for 95 in the match before that, against Afghanistan. Both were in defeats but this time, his combined tally of 9 for 112 got the team over the line.

There was chatter during Zimbabwe's stumble in their chase of 174 whether Muzarabani may have to come out to hit the winning runs. Luckily for them, Ngarava and Madhevere completed the three-wicket win.

"The change room is going to be nervous. We are not familiar being in these sorts of positions, chasing in the fourth innings," Ervine said. "It was more nerves of wanting to get over the line, wanting the win more than anything else."

Whether or not Zimbabwe get a pitch that responds to fast bowling in Chattogram next week, they have shown enough pluck here in Sylhet. They got in trouble a few times, but fought hard to get back into the game. Muzarabani epitomised this mindset. He bowled superb up front, and had plenty left in the tank for those crucial second and third spells. That's where Bangladesh lost the Test.