Bangladesh were facing an uphill task to avoid a defeat in the first Test against South Africa after they ended the second day on 127-3 at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom on Friday.
The Tigers still needed 169 runs to avoid the follow-on, having trailed the hosts by 369 runs in the first innings so far after South Africa declared their first innings on 496-3.Tamim Iqbal, who was forced to bat at number five after he spent little less than an hour in the dressing room during South Africa’s innings, was carrying the hopes of Tigers with 22 not out.
Mominul Haque was accompanying him with 28 having survived some anxious moments during the course of his- 28-over stay at the crease.
After struggling with the ball for exactly five sessions, when Bangladesh’s bowlers could garner just two wickets, the visitors could do no justice to their abilities with the bat in what looked like a placid batting track.
Imrul Kayes was dismissed for seven by Kagiso Rabada, while Liton Das, who opened the innings for Tamim, could score just 25 runs before he fell to Morne Morkel.
Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was dropped twice by Dean Elgar on six and 15 runs at slip, but he was unable to cash in on his good fortunes having departed for 44 giving a catch Aiden Markram off Keshav Maharaj.
Bangladesh’s biggest success on the day was perhaps denying Elgar his maiden double century for just one run as the opener was dismissed for 199 after resuming 128.
Elgar and Hashim Amla (137) put on 215 for the second wicket as South Africa again gave Bangladesh cause to regret their decision to send the hosts in to bat.
Amla became the first batsman to fall to a bowler when he slashed a wide ball from Shahfiul Islam to backward point in the first over after lunch.
The left-handed Elgar, who had gone past his previous highest Test score of 140, looked set for a double century until an attempted pull shot against Mustafizur Rahman looped off a top edge to short midwicket.
He had batted for more than nine hours and faced 388 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes.
Amla went to his 27th Test century in fluent style. He joined former captain Graeme Smith as the country’s second-highest century-maker, behind only Jacques Kallis, who made 45. Amla scored his runs off 200 balls with 17 fours and a six.
Temba Bavuma (31 not out) and Faf du Plessis (26 not out) added an unbeaten 51 for the fourth wicket but were made to work for their runs as Bangladesh set defensive fields, with their seam bowlers often bowling wide of the stumps.
-With New Age input
