Gqeberha – All-rounder Wiaan Mulder took three wickets in quick succession to put South Africa on top on the second day of the second Test against Bangladesh at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Saturday.
Bangladesh were 139 for five at the close in reply to South Africa’s first innings total of 453.
Bangladesh lost a wicket in the first over of their reply when first Test century-maker Mahmudul Hasan was caught at first slip off Duanne Olivier for nought.
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Tamim Iqbal and Najmul Hossain put on 79 for the second wicket, scoring at nearly four runs an over, before the medium-paced Mulder came into the attack.
He dismissed Tamim (47), Najmul (33) and captain Mominul Haque (6) in almost identical fashion.
Bowling around the wicket, he angled the ball into the three left-handers and trapped them leg before wicket.
At one stage he had three wickets for five runs in five overs. He finished the day with three for 15.
Olivier came back into the attack and bowled Liton Das for 11 with a ball which seamed back between bat and pad to rip out the middle stump.
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Mushfiqur Rahim survived two South African reviews for leg before wicket but batted through until the close when he had 30 not out.
Keshav Maharaj, man of the match for his bowling in South Africa’s 220-run win in the first Test, top-scored for South Africa with a career-best 84.
He hit his runs off 95 balls with nine fours and three sixes as South Africa added 175 runs to their overnight 278 for five.
Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took six for 135 the 10th time he has taken five wickets or more in a Test innings.
Maharaj raced to his fourth Test half-century off 50 balls with four fours and three sixes and went on to make his highest Test score.
He came in after Kyle Verreynne was bowled for 22 by Khaled Ahmed and almost immediately went on the attack, being severe on fellow left-arm spinner Taijul, whose first ball of the day was hit for six.
Taijul, Bangladesh’s best bowler on the first day, conceded 27 runs in six overs before switching ends and bowling Mulder for 33.
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He finally bowled Maharaj when the batsman tried one big shot too many and was bowled and also had Simon Harmer smartly stumped for 29 by wicketkeeper Liton Das.
The first nine South African batsmen made 20 runs or more but there were no centuries.
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Source: AFP
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