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DAY 2: Bangladesh fight back after Verreynne ton puts SA in charge

cricket22 October 2024 11:49| © MWP
By:Patrick Compton
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Bangladesh fought back to reach 101 for three – an overall deficit of 101 – in their second innings after Kyle Verreynne’s second test century put South Africa in charge on the second day of the first test at Mirpur on Tuesday.

Verreynne’s 114 – which included an outstanding seventh-wicket partnership of 119 with Wiaan Mulder (54) and a ninth-wicket partnership of 66 with Dane Piedt (32) ­– enabled South Africa to compile 308 in their first innings, an overall lead of 202.

And when Kagiso Rabada grabbed two wickets in his second over to reduce Bangladesh to 4 for two in their second innings, South Africa looked poised for victory. But then a 55-run stand between Mahmudul Hasan Joy and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (23) and then an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 42 between Mahmudul and Mushfiqur Rahim gave Bangladesh some hope going into the third day.

Rabada gave Bangladesh the roughest of starts when Bangladesh batted again. In his second over, a double-wicket maiden, he had Shadman Islam smartly caught bat-pad at short leg by Tony de Zorzi and then Mominul Haque was unable to get on top of a sharply rising delivery that he directed low to Mulder at third slip.

After that, Bangladesh approached their dire situation positively with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto slamming Keshav Maharaj for six over long-off. But then the left-arm spinner had his revenge when Shanto got into an awful tangle as Maharaj curled one in, playing down the wrong line and being trapped leg before.

Mushfiqur Rahim joined Mahmudul and they continued to bat positively on a pitch that had calmed down somewhat from the first day but still offered the bowlers some assistance

Nevertheless, Mahmudul had a couple of scares in the closing overs when Maharaj dropped him off his own bowling, a low chance to his left, while Verreynne missed a stumping chance off Piedt when he had a rush of blood and went down the pitch to swing wildly at the offspinner. He was saved by the sharp bounce that delayed the stumping although it was still a narrow call for the TV umpire.

Immediately after that incident, the umpires took the players off the field for bad light.

Earlier, a magnificent seventh-wicket partnership of 119 in 200 balls between Verreynne and Mulder rescued South Africa from a parlous 108 for six to build a potentially match-winning lead.

Mulder began scratchily, particularly against Bangladesh’s star spinner Taijul Islam, but then he got his reverse-sweep out as he settled in. Verreynne was more positive, driving and punching Mahmud for fours and then using the conventional sweep to make progress.

As they settled in, the pair’s shot selection was particularly good as they went at almost four runs an over. Verreynne reached his 50 in 67 balls, appropriately, with a sweep off Taijul, a superb effort.

The pair reached their century partnership in 165 balls and looked increasingly comfortable. But shortly afterwards Mulder, on 47, enjoyed a huge slice of luck when he was dropped at short leg by Mominul off the bowling of offspinner Nayeem Hasan. It was a bat-pad chance that looped up to the fielder’s left hand and should have been taken.

Mulder then reverse-swept the boundary that took him to his debut test 50. It came in 105 balls and was invaluable for his country, much as his bowling had been on Monday. Shortly afterwards Bangladesh got their first wicket of the session after nearly 26 overs of fruitless toil when Mulder edged Hasan Mahmud to slip. The paceman, who claimed the first wicket of the South African innings when he bowled Aiden Markram, then made it three when he castled Maharaj first ball.

But just when Bangladesh smelt blood, Dane Piedt joined Verreynne and the pair added a further 66 in 130 balls for the ninth wicket.

Piedt was particularly composed for a No 10 batter, but of course it was Verreynne who commanded attention with a superb ton in the most difficult of circumstances. The South African wicketkeeper-batsman struck 8x4s and 2x6s in his 114 in a brisk 144 balls as he and Piedt rubbed salt into Bangladesh’s wounds. Verreynne reached his 100 with the shot he had perfected during his innings, the conventional sweep which had brought him a third of his runs.

With the pressure off, Verreynne swept and pulled Nayeem Hasan and Taijul Islam for sixes before being stumped to end the innings.

BANGLADESH: Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud

SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (capt), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Ryan Rickelton, Matthew Breetzke, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Piedt

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