Close Bangladesh 107 and 125 for 3 (Habibul Bashar 65) trail Zimbabwe 431 (Friend 81, Masrafee Murtoza 4-106) by 199 runs
Scorecard

Two late wickets destroyed some good restorative work as Bangladesh battled to avoid an innings defeat. Facing a mountainous first-innings deficit of 327, they had rallied to 108 for 1 second time round with just four overs of the third day to go, before their two established batsmen, Javed Omar and Habibul Bashar, betrayed their inexperience. Zimbabwe have six sessions left to take a 1-0 lead in this two-match series.

It was characteristically naïve stuff from the Banglas. After defending doggedly for three hours Javed should have been playing for the close, but instead couldn't resist going for a big hit against the offspin of Doug Marillier. The skyer was held by Henry Olonga at long-off, and Javed was out for 32 to end a second-wicket stand of 102 with Habibul. Then, off what turned out to be the last ball of the day, Habibul was caught off a limp shot by captain Brian Murphy off Travis Friend for 65. It was heartbreaking stuff.

But Friend was all smiles. That was his seventh wicket of the match, after claiming a career-best 5 for 31 in the first innings, and dismissing opener Al Sahariar for 5 to make it 6 for 1 in the second, when a lifter flew from Al Sahariar's gloves straight to Grant Flower in the gully.

Earlier, Friend had notched up another career best, hitting 81 as Zimbabwe extended their first innings to 431. He took his eighth-wicket partnership with Heath Streak to 108 before Streak was caught behind off Masrafee Mutoza for 65 (365 for 8). Murphy helped him add 50 for the ninth wicket, before Friend was bowled by Enamul Haque to make 415 for 9. Murphy fell soon after for 25, giving debutant seamer Masrafee his fourth wicket.

Some time tomorrow, Murphy should be celebrating victory in his maiden Test as a captain.

Lawrence Booth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd