Zimbabwe win by eight wickets to take series 1-0

After some dramatic moments on the final day at the Aziz Stadium in Chittagong, Zimbabwe made the ten runs they needed before lunch to secure an eight-wicket win in the second and final Test, to take the Coca-Cola series against Bangladesh 1-0.

The home team, 227 for 4 overnight, lost their last six wickets while adding only 74 runs. Douglas Marillier created mayhem in Bangladesh middle order, dismissing four batsmen for 55 runs. Bangladesh were all out for 301, leaving Zimbabwe just 10 runs to win, which they achieved for the loss of two batsmen, neither of whom troubled the scorers.

Trevor Chappell, optimistic by nature, could hardly take a sip of his morning coffee before one of his overnight batsmen had departed. Travis Friend, against whom the Bangladeshi batsmen showed courage in this Test, dismissed the most dependable, Javed Omar, trapping him lbw with the first ball of the morning.

Friend did the trick with swing in the light breeze. Javed's departure may have had a negative impact on Ashraful, the youngster who had shown commendable patience the previous day, scoring just one run from 53 deliveries. After smashing Marillier for a boundary, he was tempted by a clever leg-break to go for an ambitious shot that fetched up in the hands of the deep mid-wicket fielder.

With hopes of avoiding an innings defeat looking remote, Naimur Rahman failed again. Although he hit three fabulous boundaries in his 24, he was then trapped lbw by Marillier. Bangladesh had lost their seventh wicket with the score on 267.

Enamul Haque was dismissed for duck as he offered a return catch to Marillier, the hero of the morning. Mashrafe-Bin-Mortaza followed next ball, stumped by Andy Flower as gave Marillier the charge.

Mohammed Sharif provided some light relief, hitting Grant Flower for two huge sixes in the same over. With Khaled Masud also scoring two boundaries, the innings defeat was narrowly avoided. Bangladesh finished with 301, leaving Zimbabwe just 11 runs to win.

Mashrafe, the fastest of the Bangladesh pacers, clean bowled Dion Ebrahim for a duck with the fifth delivery of the first over, to a roar from his home crowd. Stewart Carlisle then edged a catch to Akram Khan at slip. Travor Gripper then hammered two boundaries and Zimbabwe had won by eight wickets.

Grant Flower was adjudged man of the match for his sparkling bowling, which accounted for eight wickets in the match.