24 February 2004	Tuesday	03 Muharram 1425

HARARE, Feb 23: Spinner Ray Price took four wickets as Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 183 runs in the first Test at Harare Sports Club on Monday to record their first win for more than two years.

The left-armer finished with four for 61 as the visitors were skittled for 169 in their second innings. Bangladesh, who made 331 in the first innings, have lost a record 21 Tests in a row, while it was Zimbabwe's first victory in 14 games. Their last success came against the same opponents in November 2001 in Chittagong.

Former captain Khaled Mashud, batting at eight, top-scored for Bangladesh with a fighting 61, his highest Test score which included nine fours and a six. The visitors had resumed on 25 for five - they had been 14 for five at one stage on Sunday after a hat trick from fast bowler Andy Blignaut - and Rajin Saleh and debutant Manjural Islam Rana batted sensibly to put on 67.

But Saleh then tried to heave left-arm spinner Price over mid-wicket and was easily stumped by wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu for 47. Price struck again when Islam Rana top-edged a sweep to Trevor Gripper at square leg to depart for 31.

Lunch was taken when Tapash Baisya, on two, edged Price on to his pad and into the hands of Gavin Ewing at silly mid-off. Price had taken three for 39 from 13.1 overs in the morning.

The ninth wicket fell in the third over after lunch when Mohammad Rafique smashed a return catch to Ewing, giving the off spinner his first Test wicket. Number 11 Manjural Islam and Mashud put on 46 in a last-wicket stand before Mashud was stumped off Price.

Meanwhile, Blignaut was ruled out of the second Test, starting in Bulawayo on Thursday. Blignaut has injured a thigh muscle. "Blignaut has quite a serious problem with his quadricep, and is out of the second Test," Zimbabwe team manager Babu Memen said.

Blignaut and captain and fast bowler Heath Streak (back spasm) did not bowl on the final day of the first Test on Monday but Streak is expected to be fit for the final Test.

Scoreboard

ZIMBABWE (1st Innings) 441 (S.M. Ervine 86, G.W. Ewing 71, H.H.Streak 68, D.D. Ebrahim 65, T. Taibu 59, S.V. Carlisle 59; Mohammad Rafique 4-

BANGLADESH (1st Innings) 331 (Mohammad Ashraful 98, H.H. Streak 4-44).

ZIMBABWE (2nd Innings) 242-8 decl (S.M. Ervine 74, T. Taibu 58).

BANGLADESH (2nd Innings, overnight 25-5):

Hannan Sarkar lbw b Blignaut 10

Shahriar Hossain lbw b Hondo 1

Habibul Bashar lbw b Hondo 0

Rajin Saleh st Taibu b Price 47

Mohammad Ashraful c sub b Blignaut 0

Mushfiqur Rahman c Taibu b Blignaut 0

Manjural Islam Rana c Gripper b Price 31

Khaled Mashud st Taibu b Price 61

Tapash Baisya c Ewing b Price 2

Mohammad Rafique c and b Ewing 5

Manjural Islam not out 1

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-1, NB-5) 11

TOTAL (all out, 57.5 overs) 169

FALL OF WKTS: 1-12, 2-14, 3-14, 4-14, 5-14, 6-81, 7-110, 8-112, 9-123.

BOWLING: Blignaut 4-1-12-3 (2nb); Hondo 12-3-24-2 (1nb); Ervine 12-3-34-0; Price 20.5-3-61-4 (2nb); Ewing 8-3-27-1; Gripper 1-0-5-0.

RESULT: Zimbabwe won by 183 runs.

SECOND TEST: Bulawayo, Feb 26-March 1. -Reuters