Shakib's unsurprising appearance

When Shakib-al-Hasan was deemed unfit to bowl in the first Test, those in the know did not believe it. At some point, they said, he would be needed and coach Shane Jurgensen hinted at that in a pre-match interview. Bangladesh coped 119 overs without his left-arm spin when he was spotted waving his arms in a warm-up. At the top of 120th over, it was none other than Shakib who took the ball.

After their missed chances on the first day, Bangladesh knew they would have to put in a more committed performance on the second. Although much of their work was as lethargic as the state of play itself, Mahmudullah pulled off a stunning catch to show there was still spark in them. Sohag Gazi had obtained generous turn all morning and although Graeme Cremer had patiently negotiated his way around it, he could not help but play at one that spun in sharply. It took a thick outside edge and could have flown past first slip but Mahmudullah reacted quickly, dived full stretch to his right and held on one-handed.

Brendan Taylor looked set to become the first Zimbabwe captain to score a double hundred but fatigue was creeping up on him. In his haste to score runs quickly and with his ease of execution of the sweep, he decided to take on Enamul Haque jr. He made contact but the ball took a top edge and Mushfiqur held on to the catch. Before even celebrating, the Bangladesh captain dropped the ball and left his team-mates waiting while he went to shake Taylor's hand. Mahmudullah followed soon after to show that despite the contest, the friendship between these two sides is still strong.

Bangladesh dropped Timycen Maruma in the first over of the Zimbabwe innings and the hosts repaid the favour in an almost mirror-image. After five balls in which Kyle Jarvis got the ball to move away, he eventually tempted Jahurul Islam into prodding at the last delivery. Cremer at third slip had to hold on to a fairly straightforward chance, at chest height, but allowed the ball to bobble out. Hamilton Masakadza was immediately at his side to console him but only a quick wicket could have done that. Zimbabwe did not get one.

If Jahurul felt he needed time to settle in, he didn't show it. At the start of Jarvis' third over he showed he was not going to hold back. Jarvis pitched it up and Jahurul drove. He approached the ball with intent, as though he wanted to pick it up rather than hit it, allowed it to meet his bat with enough force to send it past the non-striker - the timing and placement was as though he had used a watch and compass. The pin-point drive was the most pleasing on the eye that has been seen in this match so far, both for its technical correctness and its beauty.