GQEBERHA: Keshav Maharaj took two wickets in his first two overs to plunge Bangladesh into deep trouble on the third day of the second Test against South Africa at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Sunday.

Fellow spinner Simon Harmer dismissed Tamim Iqbal with the last ball of the day and Bangladesh, set 413 to win, were 27 for three at the close.

Bangladesh’s poor start was similar to their plight in the first Test in Durban when the two spinners had the tourists reeling at 11 for three at the close on the fourth day. South Africa went on to win by 220 runs.

Mahmudul Hasan, who made a century in the first Test, was out for nought for the second time in the match when he was caught at a short gully by Wiaan Mulder off Maharaj. He was dismissed first ball after facing only two balls in the first innings.

Najmul Hossain inside-edged the first ball he faced from Maharaj for four but went back on his stumps in the left-arm spinner’s next over and was leg before wicket for seven.

The left-handed Tamim got a ball from off-spinner Harmer which spun sharply and bounced to take the shoulder of his bat and provide an easy catch for Mulder at second slip.

Bangladesh were earlier bowled out for 217 in their first innings, with Mushfiqur Rahim top-scoring with 51. Harmer took three wickets in 3.2 overs as the innings folded rapidly. Harmer finished with three for 39 while Maharaj took two for 57.

South Africa batted aggressively in their second innings and declared on 176 for six, scored in one ball less than 40 overs.

Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took three for 67 to finish with match figures of nine for 202.

Sarel Erwee top-scored for South Africa with 41, while Kyle Verreynne made a hard-hit 39 not out off 30 balls.

The declaration came with half an hour’s play remaining in the day although the floodlights were on in overcast conditions. As in Durban, spinners Maharaj and Harmer shared the new ball and both extracted considerable turn from the pitch.

Bangladesh started the day well, with overnight batsmen Mushfiqur Rahim (51) and Yasir Ali (46) making their sixth wicket partnership worth 70. But the innings folded rapidly after Yasir was caught and bowled by Maharaj.

South African captain Dean Elgar decided not to enforce the follow-on. He and Erwee scored at better than five runs an over in an opening stand of 60 before Elgar missed a reverse sweep against Taijul and was bowled for 26.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 453

BANGLADESH (1st Innings, overnight) 139-5

Tamim Iqbal lbw b Mulder 47

Mahmudul Hasan c Erwee b Olivier 0

Najmul Hossain lbw b Mulder 33

Mominul Haque lbw b Mulder 6

Mushfiqur Rahim b Harmer 51

Liton Das b Olivier 11

Yasir Ali c and b Maharaj 46

Mehidy Hasan c Olivier b Maharaj 11

Taijul Islam c Williams b Harmer 5

Khaled Ahmed not out 0

Ebadot Hossain c Williams b Harmer 0

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-2, W-1) 7

TOTAL (all out, 74.2 overs) 217

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-3 (Mahmudul), 2-82 (Tamim), 3-85 (Najmul), 4-100 (Mominul), 5-122 (Liton), 6-192 (Yasir), 7-210 (Mushfiqur), 8-216 (Taijul), 9-217 (Mehidy).

BOWLING: Olivier 15-4-39-2, Williams 12-2-51-0 (1w), Harmer 10.2-1-39-3, Maharaj 24-6-57-2, Mulder 13-7-25-3.

SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings):

S. Erwee c Mominul Haque b Khaled Ahmed 41

D. Elgar b Taijul Islam 26

K. Petersen lbw b Taijul Islam 14

T. Bavuma lbw b Mehidy Hasan 30

R. Rickelton c Mominul Haque b Taijul Islam 12

K. Verreynne not out 39

W. Mulder b Mehidy Hasan 6

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-4) 8

TOTAL (for six wickets decl, 39.5 overs) 176

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-60 (Elgar), 2-84 (Petersen), 3-90 (Erwee), 4-119 (Rickelton), 5-154 (Bavuma), 6-176 (Mulder).

BOWLING: Ebadot 5-0-29-0, Khaled 10-0-38-1, Taijul 15-2-67-3, Mehidy 9.5-3-34-2.

BANGLADESH (2nd Innings):

Tamim Iqbal c Mulder b Harmer 13

Mahmudul Hasan c Mulder b Maharaj 0

Najmul Hossain lbw b Maharaj 7

Mominul Haque not out 5

EXTRAS (B-2) 2

TOTAL (for three wickets, 9.1 overs) 27

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1 (Mahmudul), 2-11 (Najmul), 3-27 (Tamim).

BOWLING: Maharaj 5-1-17-2, Harmer 4.1-1-8-1.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2022