02 March 2004	Tuesday	10 Muharram 1425

BULAWAYO, March 1: Stuart Carlisle's second century brightened an otherwise dull final day of the drawn rain-hit second Test between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh on Monday.

Carlisle scored an unbeaten 103 as Zimbabwe's reached 210 for two in their first innings in reply to Bangladesh's 168. The Test had been badly affected by the weather with just 37.1 overs of play possible on Saturday and the other three days washed out completely.

Zimbabwe won the series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Harare by 183 runs. Carlisle batted cautiously throughout his 173-ball innings, hitting nine fours and a six, and the captains shook hands on a draw immediately after he reached his century.

Bangladesh had resumed on 88 for five, and failed to make the most of some poor fielding by Zimbabwe in the morning session. Mushfiqur Rahman went without scoring to the second ball of the day when medium pacer Douglas Hondo trapped him lbw.

Manjural Islam Rana offered the first of three spurned chances on seven when he sparred at a ball from Hondo and was dropped by Travis Friend in the gully. The fortunate Manjural had progressed to 22 when Friend dropped him again, this time off fast bowler Sean Ervine.

He added 37 runs for the seventh wicket with Khaled Mashud before Ervine dismissed Mashud lbw for nine. Ray Price was the next aggrieved bowler when Tapash Baisya swept a difficult chance to short leg fielder Dion Ebrahim, who failed to hold on to the ball.

But Baisya then sliced a drive off Price and was caught by Grant Flower at point for two to make Bangladesh 137 for eight. It might have been 140 for nine, but Ervine in the gully spilled Manjural's third chance off Friend.

Zimbabwe's tormentor was eventually caught behind by wicket-keeper by Tatenda Taibu at the second attempt, off Price. Flower was the culprit for the fifth botched catch of the session spilling a simple chance at mid-off offered by Rafique.

The innings ended five balls after lunch when Alamgir Kabir (three) edged a delivery from Price on to his pad and was caught by Dion Ebrahim at silly point. Mohammad Rafique was 26 not out.

Zimbabwe lost their first wicket in the third over when Ebrahim (two) edged a ball from Baisya to Hannan Sarkar at second slip. Gripper (65) and Carlisle shared 129 runs for the second wicket, a stand that was ended when Gripper skied the ball to wicket-keeper Mashud.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH (1st Innings, overnight 88-5):

Hannan Sarkar b Ervine 25

Shahriar Hossain c Taibu b Ervine 31

Habibul Bashar c Friend b Streak 4

Rajin Saleh c Ervine b Hondo 6

Mohammad Ashraful c Carlisle b Friend 1

Manjural Islam Rana c Taibu b Price 39

Mushfiqur Rahman lbw b Hondo 0

Khaled Mashud lbw b Ervine 9

Tapash Baisya c Flower b Price 2

Mohammad Rafique not out 26

Alamgir Kabir c Ebrahim b Price 3

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-6, NB-12) 22

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 75.5 overs) 168

FALL OF WKTS: 1-64, 2-73, 3-73, 4-81, 5-87, 6-89, 7-126, 8-137, 9-144.

BOWLING: Streak 15-9-19-1 (2nb, 2w); Hondo 18-5-25-2 (2nb, 2w); Ervine 15-4-46-3 (2nb); Mahwire 10-2-34-0 (5nb, 2w); Friend 9-2-20-1 (1nb); Price 8.5-2-20-3.

ZIMBABWE (1st Innings):

D.D. Ebrahim c Hannan b Baisya 2

T.R. Gripper c Khaled b Baisya 65

S.V. Carlisle not out 103

G.W. Flower not out 37

EXTRAS (NB-3) 3

TOTAL (for two wkts, 60.2 overs) 210

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-134.

DID NOT BAT: T. Taibu, S.M. Ervine, H.H. Streak, T.J. Friend, R.W. Price, N.B. Mahwire, D.T. Hondo.

BOWLING: Tapash Baisya 15-3-43-2; Alamgir Kabir 8-1-39-0 (3nb); Mushfiqur Rahman 10-1-36-0; Mohammad Rafique 20-7-53-0; Manjural Islam Rana 6-0-33-0; Mohammad Ashraful 1.2-0-6-0.

FIRST TEST: Harare - Zimbabwe won by 183 runs. -Reuters