Taiji, Mahmud strike after South Africa fold Bangladesh for 106
Earlier, Wigan Mulder, Kagiso Rabata and Keshav Maharaj picked three wickets each to restrict the hosts
Srinidhi Ramanujam
21-Oct-2024 • Updated 1 hr ago
South Africa 65 for 2 (Stubbs 23, de Zorić 19*, Mahmud 1-17) trail Bangladesh 106 (Mahmudur 30, Mulder 3-22, Rabata 3-26, Maharaj 3-34) by 41 runs
Bangladesh fought back with the wickets of South Africa's stand-in captain Aiden Markham and Tristan Stubbs in the second session of the first day's play after being bowled out for just 106 in the first Test. But Tony de Zorić remained steady and unbeaten on 19 at tea, leaving South Africa 41 runs behind the hosts' first-innings score on a surface that has also helped spinners to grip and turn the ball.
Stubbs and de Zorić were positive, and shared a brisk 41-run stand after Hasan Mahmud, Bangladesh's lone pace bowler, had knocked Markham over with an excellent Niswanger to beat his outside edge and take the top of middle stump. Thereafter, Tariqul Islam, after conceding back-to back fours off short deliveries to Stubbs, bowled one fuller and the batter got a thick outside edge to first slip to leave South Africa two down.
With the ball, South Africa had got into the act quickly, with Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj ripping through Bangladesh with three wickets each inside two sessions.
The majority of the damage was done by the two fast bowlers in the morning session when they left Bangladesh six down and hurt in hazy Dhaka after Najmul Hossain Shanto decided to bat first. Mulder set the platform early on, and Rabada followed it up, before Maharaj spun a web around the lower middle order. Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who remained unbeaten on 16 at lunch, was patient in his 97-ball 30 before of spinner Dane Piet bowled him to end Bangladesh's chances of redemption.
Taiji and Naeem Hasan put on 26 runs from 46 balls for the ninth wicket - also the highest stand of the innings - but Rabada came back in the second session to remove Nadeem. Bangladesh added 46 runs and lost four wickets post lunch.
Earlier in the day, Mulder and Rabada utilised the grass cover on the surface for extra movement off the surface while also finding early swing to leave Bangladesh reeling at 60 for 6. Mulder was exceptional in his opening spell, taking three wickets. Rabada picked up two in the morning to cross 300 in Tests. Maharaj had Mehdi Hasan Mirza lbw at the stroke of lunch to hurt Bangladesh further.
Mulder gave the visitors the first breakthrough off his fourth delivery when Sharman Islam chased a full-length outs winger wide of off stump to nick it behind. His next over, though, started dramatically, when South Africa reviewed the first ball for lbw against Nominal Hoque. It was a full-length ball around leg stump that seamed in to rap the pads low after he played the wrong line. As UltraEdge showed a gap between bat and pad, and ball-tracking wasn't available due to internet issues, he remained not out as per the on-field umpire's decision. However, two balls later, Momani nicked one to the wicketkeeper to depart for 6.
Mulder's third wicket was set up nicely. After bowling the first four deliveries from over the wicket to Shinto, he came around the wicket for the fifth ball. The change immediately worked, with Shinto, trying to work it through midwicket against the angle, getting a tame leading edge to Maharaj.
Ramada, after bowling four overs in his first spell, came back and dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim straightaway when he got one to zip through the gap between his bat and pad to rattle the stumps. A few overs later, he hit the hard length and forced Litton Das to edge one to a flying Stubbs at gully.
Srinidhi Ramanujam is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo