Bangladesh fought back to reduce Zimbabwe to 92-4 at stumps on Saturday on the third day of the one-off Test. "To get Zimbabwe's top four batsmen was fantastic," Bangladesh coach Stuart Law said.
Zimbabwe leads overall by 175 runs with six second-innings wickets left. The hosts started with an 83-run first innings lead by earlier dismissing Bangladesh for 287 with pace bowler Brian Vitori finishing with figures of 4-66 on his debut.
Zimbabwe openers VusiSibanda and TinotendaMawoyo made a steady start, reaching 69 together before Sibanda (38) was superbly caught by substitute fielder NasirHossain at midwicket off RubelHossain's bowling.
Mawoyo followed on 35, succumbing to a fine ball from Robiul Islam which uprooted his off stump.
Hamilton Masakadza, who scored 104 in the first innings, was caught and bowled by Shakib Al Hasan on 5 before nightwatchman Ray Price (4) was trapped lbw by AbdurRazzak. Bad light brought an early end to play.
Zimbabwe coach Alan Butcher dismissed suggestions that Bangladesh was now in control.
"I wouldn't say that," Butcher said. "The position we are in has changed in the last half hour. Our top order got themselves out rather than Bangladesh getting them out."
Zimbabwe bowled with control to remove Bangladesh for under 300.
"You have to keep things simple by breaking down things into spells, so it was easy for me because as a team (we) had a plan," said Vitori, who became only the fourth Zimbabwean to take four wickets on their debut.
After lunch, Chris Mpofu removed Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan for 68, caught by wicketkeeperTatendaTaibu on an away-swinging delivery, and trapped Razzaklbw for 11.
Shakib Al Hasan (68) steadied Bangladesh's innings after top-scorer Mohammad Ashraful departed for 73 before lunch. Shakib looked comfortable for most of his innings, hitting seven boundaries.
MushfiqurRahim added 27 runs before he slogged Vitori into the deep, where Mawoyo took a comfortable catch.
Newcomer seamer Kyle Jarvis clean-bowled Shafiul Islam (5) for his first Test wicket.
Spinner Price trapped Islam lbw for a duck to end Bangladesh's innings.
Zimbabwe is playing in its first Test since 2005 when a fallout between players and administrators led to the country voluntarily withdrawing from the five-day game.
