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dominating the first day of their tie against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Masakadza, who came in at number three after missing the World Cup on the Indian sub-continent, was dominant on a day when Zimbabwe’s top order showed few ill-effects of their six-year exile from Test cricket.

The right-handed batsman last scored a Test century on debut against West Indies at the same venue.
The hosts were 264/2 at stumps, totally in control, after Bangladesh won the toss and put Zimbabwe to bat but could not make full use of the new ball on a pitch that should have helped them make in-roads at the beginning.
But once they allowed the Zimbabweans to settle, the visitors were punished.

And the Zimbabwe Cricket leadership, who were hurt by Tatenda Taibu’s severe criticism on the eve of the Test, must have secretly offered this hearty performance as proof of what they have been working on in the past six years.
The openers, Tino Mawoyo and Vusi Sibanda, laid the foundation with a century opening stand before gifting their wickets when well set, the former throwing away a deserved debut half century and the later a deserved debut century.

Masakadza came in and piled on the misery for the Tigers and was unbeaten on 88 (seven fours and a six), while captain Brendan Taylor was looking to join the feast on 40 not out.
Sibanda (78) and Mawoyo (43) took their opportunities well and, once they had settled in, they proved a handful for the visiting attack that lacked the bite to make a difference.
That both batsmen perished playing shots from deliveries that were short and wide, to sacrifice their wickets, told the story of the way the Tigers’ attack failed to dictate the pace all day.

Sibanda feasted his way to a maiden Test half century.
Taylor and Masakadza are, this morning, expected to continue from where they left yesterday and Zimbabwe should fancy their chances of scoring over 400.
Sibanda faced 153 balls with seven boundaries and a six but he was the second wicket to fall after Mawoyo fell to a rather wayward ball on his Test debut.

Zimbabwe’s first 50 runs came in 11,6 overs, off just 72 balls and their century stand came in 28,4 overs.
The Zimbabweans fielded four debutantes – Mawoyo, Craig Ervine, Brian Vitori and Kyle Jarvis.
The first wicket fell after 29.3 overs, with 102 on board, the second wicket fell after a partnership of 60 and the unbeaten third wicket stand has now reaped 102 runs.

Sibanda was almost run out in the second over.
However, it was in the last over of the morning session that Mawoyo fell to Rubel Hossain as he tried to make a cut and was caught by Mahmudullah.
The debutante’s 43 included five fours as confidence grew with each ball he faced but he was unfortunate to fall just before lunch.

Bangladesh were left to rue three missed opportunities to send either Sibanda or Masakadza back to the pavilion in the second session when Sibanda was dropped twice within four overs while an inside edge off Masakadza also came through.
Masakadza had fun on the crease, playing all around the wicket, he was aggressive in defence and his runs came when it really was necessary.

Of course, Sibanda missed out on a century, but this did not deter the Zimbabweans with Masakadza and Taylor taking over from where the opening partnership had left to set up a commanding overnight score.
The Bangladesh attack seemed to struggle later in the day as they were finding it difficult to pick the correct lines putting Zimbabwe under no pressure at all.
But Sibanda did not last as long as he could have wanted after lunch when he somehow gave away the wicket easily – perishing when Hossain came back to haunt the Zimbabwe defence.

It was in the 49th over when Hossain broke the second wicket partnership that lasted 18.5 overs, with 60 runs coming from the pair.
Enter Taylor, who played a pretty much of a supporting role to Masakadza on his way to a half century ensuring that Zimbabwe held together the base that the openers had set up for them.
Masakadza proved compact since taking the centre stage and Bangladesh turned to their spinners again as they were looking to stop the scoreboard from ticking.

But the Zimbabwe responded like experienced batsmen, making it difficult to tell they have been away from this level of the game for such a long time.

Scorecard
Zimbabwe 1st innings
Mawoyo c Mahmudullah b R. Hossain 43
Sibanda c Rahim b R. Hossain 78
Masakadza not out 88
Taylor not out 40
Extras (4b, 10lb, 1w) 15
Total (2 wkts, 90 overs) 264
To bat: Craig Ervine, Tatenda Taibu, Elton Chigumbura, Kyle Jarvis, Raymond Price, Brian Vitori, Christopher Mpofu.
Fall of wickets: 1-102, 2-162
Bowling: S. Islam 17-7-30-0; R. Islam 18-1-68-0 (1w); R. Hossain 18-1-58-2; S. Al Hassan 18-2-40-0; A. Razzak 19-1-54-0