A great 136-run stand for the sixth wicket partnership between Brendan Taylor and Peter Joseph Moor seemed to have pulled Zimbabwe out of the jaws of an imminent defeat until the Chevrons were bundled out for 304/9 and trailing Bangladesh by 218 runs.
Taylor reached his fifth Test hundred to alongside a career-best 83 from Peter Moor and a fifty from Brian Chari at the top of the innings. But Taijul Islam’s third consecutive five-wicket haul meant that Zimbabwe was bowled out for 304, 19 runs short of the follow-on target, just before the scheduled close.
With Tendai Chatara not able to bat due to a muscle strain, it means Zimbabwe only had nine wickets at their disposal and were 19 runs shot of avoiding a follow-on.
Zimbabwe had managed to stay afloat for much of the day, but Ariful Haque’s medium pace snapped the great partnership.
Mehidy Hasan then took two wickets in three balls, before Taijul wrapped up the innings with his fifth wicket.
Speaking after the innings, Moor said: “It was a lot easier to bat than we thought. Days four and five we expect it to turn more, but today was surprisingly easy.”
Meanwhile, Taijul becomes the third Bangladeshi to take a five-for in three successive innings, after Enamul Haque Jnr and Shakib Al Hasan.
Bangladesh 522 for 7 dec (Mushfiqur 219*, Mominul 161, Jarvis 5-71) lead Zimbabwe 304 (Taylor 110, Moor 83, Taijul 5-107, Mehidy 3-61) by 218 runs
