Zimbabwe draw series after battling comeback

Zimbabwe A 353 and 90 for 3 beat Bangladesh 150 and 292 (Kapali 138, Manyumwa 5-43) by seven wickets
Scorecard

Debutant Admire Manyumwa picked up five wickets to inspire Zimbabwe A to a seven wicket victory Bangladesh A on the fourth and final day of their third and last four-day match at Queens Sports Club to level the series at one all.

Manyumwa fully utilised the second new ball to claim all the remaining wickets despite a century from Alok Kapali for the visitors.

Bangladesh A resumed on 216 for 5, a lead of just 13 runs. Kapali continued to score freely, pulling Christopher Mpofu to the boundary to reach his century after facing 107 balls in 224 minutes at the crease and smashing 16 fours and three sixes. As soon as the home side took the new ball, Manyumwa started wrecking havoc with some late swing to mop up the remaining batsmen.

With a victory target of 90 runs, Zimbabwe lost opener Tinashe Hove, Chamunorwa Chibhabha and Friday Kasteni on their way to victory. It was Kasteni at No. 3 who set the platform for victory with 41 runs from just 26 balls as he feasted on some short-pitched deliveries from Taposh Baishya to hit eight fours before being given out to a frustrated Enamul Haque who had a leg before appeal against the same batsman turned down by the umpire, only to get a decision in his favour next ball.

Maruma finished with 4 for 49, Garwe picked up two wickets while Mpofu and Matsikenyeri had one wicket apiece.

In their second innings, Bangladesh were in trouble as early as the first over when Mehrab Hossain nicked Mpofu to wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Mufambisi for a two-ball duck. Hossain's opening partner - Nazmus Sadat - followed when he fell to Matsikenyeri, given out leg-before for 24.

Tushar Imran took one six off Mpofu on his way to 31 before he became the third lbw victim, again to Matsikenyeri. Kapali and Shakib Al Hassan put on 50 runs for the fourth wicket, which ended when Al Hassan became young pace bowler Admire Manyumwa's first wicket in first-class cricket, brilliantly taken by Timycen Maruma at first slip for 42 runs.

Mpofu claimed his second wicket when he induced Mahmud Ullah Riyad to drive to mid off where Kasteni took the catch.

The tourists' hopes now lie in the hands of Kapali to give them a competitive lead on the last day of the match. Should Kapali continue with his exploits and should he get support from the rest of the remaining batsmen, then Bangladesh might escape with the draw they need to take the series