Mortaza blasts Bangladeshis to victory

Mashrafe Mortaza is checked by physical training coach Paul Chapman after his five-wicket haul © Bangladesh Cricket Board

Mashrafe Mortuza made a superb start to his African safari, taking 5 for 29 as the Bangladeshis beat a Zimbabwe Board XI by five wickets in a warm-up match at Harare's Alexandra Sports Club.

Mortuza, the only member of the squad not have played in Zimbabwe before, ripped through the home side after Habibul Bashar had put them in on a green pitch only for them to reach 107 for 2 thanks to half-centuries from Tinashe Hove and Gregory Strydom.

Set a modest target of 199, Aftab Ahmed hit a breezy 60 to get the Bangladeshis off to a good start and then Javed Omar and Habibul Bashar pressed home the advantage as they eased to victory with more than four overs to spare.

"Mashrafe bowled brilliantly in the match," team manager Shafiqul Haque Hira told The Daily Star. "He not only exploited the condition but also bowled consistently on the right spot. He certainly enjoyed his bowling and looked to have carried his form he had shown during the practice matches at home."

Zimbabwe and Bangladesh start their five-ODI series at the Harare Sports Club ground on Saturday (July 29).