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Rafique’s vow, Nkala’s growl

Sports Reporter from chinagong
I >'-^--.71 It is hard to recall ? when Bangla-dcsh last domi-nated two suc- cessive days of a Test match but now they find themselves on top against Zjmbabwe with three days to go.
On a bright day, Mohammed Rafique stood tallest among the heroes with an all-round show. Rafique, whose only previous 50-plus Tbst knock was 111 against the West Indies, made a brisk 69 and took two wickets in the final session to remind the opposition to prepare for more assault on a third-day track that is bound to turn more.
"I will only rest when we have won this Test match,” said Bangladesh'sleadingwicket-taker.
”1 haven't seen too many changes in the wicket. There are some rough spots but 1 am not the kind of bowler who would try to exploit those patches. My style is bowling on a straight channel But as the ball gets older, 1 expect to get some assistance from the wicket,” Rafiquesaid.
’ "We have never been in such a good position. I want to make the best out of this advantage," he added.
With fellow left-arm spinner Enamul Haque (Jr) flighting the ball from the other end, Rafique hoped together they could bowl Zimbabwe out.
”1 always inspire Enamul and I think we will be able to do thejob tomorrow," he added.
Rajin Saleh, who made a career best 89, was disappointed at missing out on a hundred but was delighted with a return to form.
"My mother told me yesterday to score forty more runs for her but I failed. Moreover, my plan was to bat till the end of the innings. They put the mid-off fielder near the fence and I tried to drive the ball but I mistimed,” said Rajin, who had started the day on 60.
"I am more happy to get back my form. Not only the innings (82 in the 3rd one-day international) against India but the talks with Sourav Ganguly helped me.
"I went to his room and he told me to have self-belief. He said that 'you are a good batsman and you will score runs'. My parents also gave their support. These things reallyboosted my confidence."
The Zimbabweans meanwhile, refused to throw in the towel.
Christopher Mpofu, who had taken four wickets on debut,
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sounded cbnSSent about their chances in the game.
"We have a good batting line-up and I don't think we are out of the game yet," Mpofusaid.
He was accompanied by one of the most experienced bowlers of the team at the post-match briefings, Mluleki Nkala who also thought it was not impossible to fight back evenafterlosingfourwicketsfor84.
"Test cricket is always pressure. When 1 was a young man it was tough among the big names and now, it is pressure of a different kind. Here, the wicket is flat, no grass and we are trying to win a Test match," said Nkala, who returned to the Test fold almost from the verge of retirement.
"We came here knowing that it would be a hard series. Still, this game is far from over. Most of the wickets the (Bangladeshi) spinners got today were lbws and a lucky run out. Even if we don't score enough and are forced to follow-on, we can bat again and Bangladesh will have to bat last on this wicket.
"It's interesting and things can go up and down. If we can avoid the follow-on, they will have to be brave enough to give a declaration. Also, they didn't score their runs too fast. The wicket is still pretty good and if we can bat well, we can put Bangladesh under pressure," believed the medium pacer.
But his brave words could even convince the lone Zimbabwean journalist covering the match who wanted to know how they planned
toavoiddefeariiuuheduQcauldnQC come up with an answer.
SCOREBOARD
Scoreboard at stumps on the second day of the first Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe at the M A Aziz Stadium in Chittagong on Friday:
BANGLADESH: First innings (over-
night 280-4)
OrnarcTaibubChigumbura 33
Iqbal cSibandab Nkala 56
Bashar cTaibu bMpofu 9-1
AshrafulcMosakadzab Nkala 19
Saleh c and h Matsikenyeri 89
Aftab lbw bMpofu 6
Mashudc Nkala b Cremer 49
Rafique cTaibu bMpofu 69
MashrafeccSibandabCremer 48
Baisya bMpofu 6
Enamulnotout 0
Extras: (b-7.1b-3.nb-3,w-6) 19
Total:(Alloutinl49.3overs) 488
FaUofwkts: 1-91,2-93,3-153,4-272, 5-283,6-341,7-410,8-472,9-480.
Bowler O M R W
Mpofii 29 3 109 4
Hondo 27 6 70 0
Chigumbura 28 6 79 1
Nkala 26 11 50 2
Cremer 16.3 1 86 2
Matsikenyeri 23 3 8-1 1
ZIMBABWE: First innings
Matsikenyeri cBasharb Baisya 28
Rogers run out 5
Sibanda lbwb Rafique 12
Masakadzanotout 28
Cremerlbwb Rafique 0
Taylor not out 8
Extras: (b-1, nb-2) 3
Total: (For fourwitts in 28 overs) 8-1
FaUofwkts: 1-31,2-48,3-59,4-59.
Bowler O M R W
' Mortaza 6 1 29 0
Baisya 7 3 17 I
Rafique 8 5 15 2
Enamiil 6 3 18 0
Ashraful 10 4 0
Toss: Bangladesh
Umpires: Asad Rauf (RAK) and Tyron Wljewardene (SRI) TV umpire: Akhtaruddin (BAN) Match-referee: Roshan Mahanama
(SRI)