Muhammad Manack was a shining light on what proved to be a difficult day two for South Africa Emerging Men in the second and decisive four-day match against Bangladesh Emerging at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The opener hit a half-century but everyone else struggled around him as the tourists reached stumps on 152 for six.
This after allowing the hosts’ tail to wag earlier on with the last three wickets adding 131.
Rakibul Hasan hit 31, Ripon Mondol made 43 and Mehedi Hasan struck an unbeaten 44, allowing the home side to move from their precarious overnight score of 242 for seven to a more dominant 371 all out.
By the close of day two, the South Africans trailed by 219 with only four wickets standing in a match that will determine the winner of the series.
Having started out in a strong position on Wednesday, the visiting bowlers failed to get the last three Bangladesh wickets quickly enough.
Hasan and Mondol first added 45 for the eighth wicket, before the latter put on an even better 67 with Mehedi for the ninth wicket.
When the home side were eventually dismissed in 121.4 overs, Andile Mogakane finished as the best of the bowlers with four for 42, with Tshepo Ntuli bagging three for 108.
The SA innings began relatively well thanks to Manack (54 off 95 balls, 8 fours), Meeka-eel Prince (17) and Romashan Pillay (29).
The first two wickets put on 48 apiece, which took the score to 96 for one at one stage.
But wickets fell regularly from there.
Manack was bowled by Hasan (2-63), who also got Mogakane (20) later on, and the other Bangladesh batting star Mondol (2-35) also bagged two wickets, those of Richard Seletswane (19) and Dewan Marais (5), leaving the visitors on the back foot by the close.
SA Emerging Men’s Squad against Bangladesh Emerging
George van Heerden (captain, Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Connor Esterhuizen (DP World Lions), Muhammad Manack (DP World Lions), Dian Forrester (Knights), Dewan Marais (Eastern Storm), Andile Mogakane (Dafabet Warriors), Nqobani Mokoena (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tshepo Ndwandwa (Momentum Multiply Titans), Tshepo Ntuli (Northern Cape Heat), Romashan Pillay (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Meeka-eel Prince (Renault North West Dragons), Andile Simelane (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Richard Seletswane (DP World Lions), Tiaan van Vuuren (Knights), and Ntandoyenkosi Zuma (ACDC Express Tuskers).
Four-Day Matches
Tuesday, 20 May – Friday, 23 May
Bangladesh Emerging drew with South Africa Emerging – Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury, Chattogram
Tuesday, 27 May – Friday, 30 May
Bangladesh Emerging vs South Africa Emerging – Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka