Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah showed resolve as Bangladesh marched closer to South Africa’s total on the rain-shortened second day in the Chittagong Test.
Published : 22 Jul 2015, 10:33 AM
The duo did the spadework to consolidate the innings with a gritty 89-run third wicket stand to take Bangladesh to 179 for 4 in 67 overs before rain ended play prematurely on Wednesday.
Tamim anchored the innings with Mahmudullah (67) with a patient 57 and took Bangladesh within 100 runs of the Proteas’ first innings score.
The Tigers, however, found scoring difficult on the slow surface of Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, much like the tourists on the first day.
But the batsmen remained calm and battled it through to cut the deficit to 69 runs.
Bangladesh started on overnight score of 7 for no loss after seamer Mustafizur Rahman’s four wickets on debut helped the hosts restrict South Africa to just 248 in their first innings.
Tamim and Imrul Kayes (26) cautiously built momentum at the outset.
Proteas fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander bowled tight lengths and forced dot balls but Tamim and Kayes eased off the pressure by hitting occasional boundaries.
The duo looked in no trouble and put on 46 together before South Africa spinners pegged them back with two quick strikes.
Kayes went back first when he lost balance and wandered out of the crease while going for drifter as wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock whipped off the bails in a flash.
Mominul Haque (6) did not last long, as off spinner Simon Harmer skidded in an arm-ball to go through his gates.
Mahmudullah then joined Tamim in the middle and steadied the ship with some positive shots.
There were unpleasant scenes in the 30th over when Tamim and de Kock exchanged words before the latter shoved the opener with his shoulder.
South African captain Hashim Amla, however, intervened while the players trooped off for lunch with Bangladesh on 80 for 2, having added 73 in the first session.
The match referee later may have a say about the incident.
Following the break, Tamim and Mahmudullah slowly settled in by regularly rotating the strike.
Mahmudullah opened the scoring in the second session with an outside edge off Steyn that flew through the vacant second slip for a boundary.
The pair regained composure with singles and doubles but South Africa bowlers dried up the runs while Tamim closed in on fifty.
The left-handed opener chose his shots carefully all the time showing great control and barely had a mishit in his 129-ball innings that contained just three boundaries.
Mahmudullah took the Proteas bowlers on with crisp shots from the middle of the bat while Tamim snailed towards his 18th Test half-century and eventually made it off 119 balls with just two boundaries.
Tamim’s patient knock came to an end when he went to sweep a well-flighted delivery from Dean Elgar but lost his leg stump.
That, however, was South Africa’s only success in the second session in which Bangladesh scored 73 runs.
Bangladesh batsmen were more comfortable facing the South Africa seamers all through the day.
Steyn found a bit of reverse swing but could not trouble the batsmen while Morne Morkel’s extra bounce went unrewarded as well.
Philander, however, tested the batsmen by maintaining a nagging line outside offstump.
Mahmudullah then dug deep in his crease and reached his 12th Test fifty off 109 deliveries before the teams went for tea.
Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah started dealing the Proteas bowlers in boundaries.
The latter smashed back-to-back boundaries off Morkel’s 10th over before Mushfiqur launched Harmer over long-on for the first six of the match as the skies turned grey.
But Philander trapped Mahmudullah leg-before soon after as rain swept in to force the players off the pitch.
The players went out to resume proceedings as rain relented.
But Philander only managed to bowl the last ball of his over before play was halted again with Bangladesh on 179 for 4 in 67 overs.
The umpires soon called off the day’s play.