South Africa VS Bangladesh Test Series

2nd and Final Test Played at St Georges Park, Port Elizabeth

Brief Scorecard at Stumps Day two 
South Africa 1st Innings 453 All Out in 136.2 Overs  (Keshab Maharaj 84, Dean Elgar 70, Temba Bavuma 67, Keegan Peterson 64, Ryan Rikelton 42, Willan Mulder 33, Taijul Islam 6/135, Khaled Ahmed 3/100) 

Bangladesh 1st Innings 139/5 in 41 Overs (Tamim Iqbal 47, Nazmul Hossain Shanto 33, Mushfiqur Rahim 30*, Willan Mulder 3/15, Duanne Oilver 2/17) 
Bangladesh Trails by 314 Runs With 5 wickets at hand 

We wrote at stumps on day one that Bangladesh was on the back foot. Now at stumps on day two Bangladesh has its back to the wall. It seems that only weather or a miracle can rescue Bangladesh from yet another series whitewash. Bangladesh trails the home team by 314 runs having 5 wickets at hand. 

The sad and sorry tale of Bangladesh is test cricket appeared once again as they looked down the barrel struggling at 139/5 in response of South Africa’s first innings score of 453 all out. Hamstrung Tigers have to climb a steep mountain tomorrow to even avoid humiliating following on .  However unlike Durban test this time Right arm Medium Pacer Willan Mulder (3/15) and Right Arm Fast Medium Duan Olliver (2/17) rattled and routed panicked Bangladesh. Two spinners Maharaj and Harmer bowled impressively without any success.  With ball turning and gripping it looks highly unlikely that the test would drift beyond day four . Few observed that in the present state of Bangladesh may succumb even in day three. The ray at the end of the tunnel is that Mushfiqur Rahim at long last gusted out remaining unbeaten on painstaking 30 . His immediate task would be leading his young mates Yasir , Miraj and tail avoid follow on. For that they need another 115. Home team starting the at 278/5 got up to 453 . Experts observed by doing that South Africa very much batted the tourist out of match. Four men Bangladesh attack with the exception of Duban Test discard Taijul ( 6/135 and impressive Khaled 3/100 looked pretty ordinary. There would not have any excuse for Bangladesh batting collapsing in well-known manner. 4 top order wickets were blown away adding only 67 .

South Africa started day two at 278/5 .  Khaled made early inroads cleaning up overnight not out batsman Kyle Verreynne . But tourists could not press on. Maharaj and Moulder adding match defining 80 runs for the 7th wicket virually batted Bangladesh out of the game. Bangladesh plan for appearing in a test match with only four main stream bowlers put paid again as Ebabad (0/121) and Miraj ( 1/81) were collard . Taijul sadly missed in the Durban test bowled as many as 50 overs taking 6 wickets for 135 runs. Khaled bowled impressively taking 3 wickets giving away 100. Mahraj batted superbly blasting 84 in 95 deliveries striking 9 fours and 3 sixes. His innings may turn out match winning. South Africa moved to the drivers seat scoring 453 all out . One aspect to note that in a huge score of 453 none scored a century. As many as seven batsmen scored between 29 and 84. Four (Maharaj 84, Elgar 70, Bavuma 67 and Peterson 64) half centuries. It was a great team effort.
Ultra defensive Bangladesh strategy of playing test match with only four bowlers backfired again. There is a saying that if 7 batsmen cannot deliver 8 also can not. Off course team tigers still have opportunity to prove us wrong. The response of Bangladesh was disastrous as first test hero Mahmudul Joy was sent back by Oliver in the very first over. Tamim (47) was looking good in his 80 runs second wicket partnership with Nazmul Shanto. But he failed in his Achilles Heel once more trapped in front. Shanto also fell in the same manner against the same bowler scoring 33. Between 82 to 122 Bangladesh lost 4 wickets fining the day at 139/5.  Captain Mominul’s terribly poor batting form continued, Litton also failed to reproduce his recent impressive form. Bangladesh needs a steep mountain yet again for avoiding following on even. Hope Mushfique surviving a very testing time at the wicket can pilot the lower middle order and the tail in salvaging some pride. The follow on target is still 115 runs away. 

BDST: 2357 HRS, APR 09, 2022
SMS