(ESPN Cricinfo) – Wiaan Mulder became the third maiden centurion for South Africa in the Chattogram Test, as the visitors completely dominated proceedings on the second day.
They declared on 575 for 6, with Mulder, Tony de Zorzi, and Tristan Stubbs hitting centuries, before their pacers knocked off Bangladesh’s top three inside the first six overs.
The hosts sunk to 38 for 4 at stumps, as their recent batting frailties showed up even on the batting-friendly pitch of the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Even an award of five penalty runs, due to the umpires finding Senuran Muthusamy damaging the pitch, couldn’t inspire Bangladesh.
Kagiso Rabada, recently ranked No. 1 among Test bowlers, had Shadman Islam strangle down the leg side for a duck in the first over. Rabada then removed Zakir Hasan, also caught behind, for 2 in his next over.
Dane Paterson got into the act in the sixth over when Mahmudul Hasan Joy chased a wide ball and edged to Aiden Markram at second slip. Keshav Maharaj bowled a beauty to night-watcher Hasan Mahmud, who missed it completely to be bowled for 3. It completed an amazing day for South Africa, who dominated from start to finish.
If the first day belonged to de Zorzi and Stubbs, the second day was all about Mulder’s century and his partnership with Muthusamy. The pair added 152 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket, breaking South Africa’s record for this wicket against Bangladesh from the previous Test in Dhaka, where Mulder and Kyle Verreynne had added 119.
Mulder and Muthusamy had come together when Bangladesh suddenly grabbed a bit of momentum in the day’s first session. Taijul Islam snapped up David Bedingham, de Zorzi, and Verreynne in consecutive overs to give the home team some respite. Bedingham missed a slog-sweep to be bowled, while de Zorzi and Verreynne also missed sweeps to be given out lbw.
Taijul completed his five-for before Nahid Rana removed Ryan Rickelton. Bangladesh were hopeful of wrapping South Africa up early at the time, but Mulder and Muthusamy took South Africa towards a massive total.
Mulder was generally good down the ground, hitting all his eight fours and four sixes between wide long-off and mid-on. Muthusamy fed Mulder the strike regularly but also struck the ball sweetly.
Muthusamy struck two sixes through long-on, apart from fours through mid-off, fine leg, and backward point. His ticked boundary through the slips took him to his maiden Test fifty.
Taijul was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers with his 14th five-wicket haul, but it was also the team’s most expensive five-for as he went for 198 runs. Nahid took a wicket, but Hasan Mahmud and Mehidy Hasan Miraz disappointed with their wicket-less efforts.