Hamilton Masakadza and Vusi Sibanda made half-centuries as Zimbabwe dominated the first day of its return to Test cricket against Bangladesh Thursday. Masakadza was 88 not out as Zimbabwe went to stumps at Harare Sports Club on a commanding 264-2. Sibanda was out for 78, his first Test half century. Zimbabwe's top order batsmen combined for partnerships of 102, 60 and 102 to take early control in its first Test in six years after being put in to bat by Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan. “I think the guys showed a lot of maturity today,” Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor said. “But listen, it's still four days to go and a lot of cricket to be played. .” The one-off Test is Zimbabwe's first since 2005, when a fallout between senior players and administrators led to an exodus of its top cricketers and the self-imposed exile. Medium pacer Rubel Hossain (2-58) was the only wicket-taker for the visitors on a green, bouncy pitch that the Bangladesh seamers failed to take advantage of. Ojha happy Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha is keen to capitalize on a second bite of the cherry after landing a surprise call-up to an India squad he was originally omitted from for the ongoing tour of England. The Hyderabad spinner watched from the pavilion on India's June tour of the Caribbean as leg-spinner Amit Mishra was selected ahead of him, and Ojha dropped further down the pecking order when only two slow bowlers were picked for the England series.
