Bangladesh are fighting to avoid innings defeat at the M A Aziz stadium at the end of the fourth day of the second Test against Zimbabwe. At stumps, the hosts had reached 227 for the loss of 4 wickets with opener Javed Omar and Ashraful still at the crease.

When Bangladesh followed on, it was Henry Olonga who once again made the breakthrough. He trapped Al-Sahariar lbw for 40 – an innings that included five boundaries.

Habibul Bashar, the man in form, compiled another superb knock of 76 before being caught at long off. He and Javed Omar shared a partnership that took the total towards respectability. They both were set and dealt with the Zimbabwean attack with ease.

Before tea, Bangladesh were in a reasonably comfortable position at 184 for 1. Bashar was approaching his second successive century and it was not unachievable the way he was batting. But he looked impatient just after tea and attempted to go for his shots. He lifted Grant Flower to long off a couple of times – he got two from the first and a boundary from the second. An excited Bashar, while attempting to lift the same bowler over long off for a third time, mistimed his stroke and offered an easy catch to the fielder positioned there.

The quick fall of Aminul Islam and Akram Khan changed the scenario. Zimbabwe took over control as Grant Flower dispatched them both. Aminul offered a catch to silly point for 1, and shattered the stumps of Akram Khan for 2.

Javed Omar and Mohammed Ashraful survived the remainder of the day peacefully. Ashraful, reputed as a natural stroke player, batted quiet unusually. At the end of the day he was still there with just a single to his name after facing 53 balls during his 95-minute innings.

Javed Omar batted brilliantly to record his third Test half century, all coming against Zimbabwe, and remained not out with 80. He batted for 415 minutes and faced 320 deliveries.

Grant Flower, not widely recognised as a front line bowler, looked deadly on this track. He was getting sharp turn like the previous day and was difficult to put away. He had only taken 10 wickets in his entire Test career, but here he has taken seven already – exactly half the Bangladeshi wickets to fall.

Bangladesh are still 64 runs behind the Zimbabwean total, going into the final day of the match.

© CricInfo