Inept top order fails yet again

Home conditions and an opposition perceived to be much weaker made no difference to Bangladesh's top-order ineptitude as they crumbled to 19 for four and then 49 for five in the afternoon session of the second day of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Sylhet.

The batsmen had a torrid Test tour of the West Indies in July, which started with their lowest ever Test score of 43 all out in Antigua and ended with Bangladesh not once able to cross 200 in the two Tests. It was thought that the comfort of home and playing against the lowest ranked opposition, not to mention one that has not played Test cricket since December last year, would paper over those cracks but a succession of poor shots exposed the batsmen's lack of longer-version ability. 

Openers Imrul Kayes and Liton Das, middle-order batsman Nazmul Hossain Shanto and skipper Mahmudullah Riyad – all got out playing away from their bodies on a pitch that requires patience while providing just the barest assistance to disciplined bowling. Imrul had left a few balls outside off stump from seamer Tendai Chatara, but probably got fed up of it, so he hung an angled bat outside off stump, inviting the inside edge that directed the ball to the stumps. 

Liton hit a nice cover drive off Kyle Jarvis, but was caught behind trying to repeat the shot. Nazmul, playing his second Test, departed in the same manner off Chatara, who also claimed the captain in the same over. Mahmudullah left his first ball, and perhaps still thinking of the ODI series that Bangladesh won 3-0, thought that that was more than enough restraint. To an identical delivery outside off stump, he did what Imrul did and left like Imul left for a second-ball duck. 

After a 30-run partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh's Test specialist Mominul Haque then departed as he went hard at an off-break from part-time spinner Sikandar Raza. 

Since the start of the South Africa tour last September, Bangladesh have managed to score more than 200 in a Test innings only thrice in 12 innings. They may yet make it a fourth time in this Test but it seems that whether it is Antigua or Sylhet, if it is Test cricket, Bangladesh's top-order will fail.