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BAN vs SA 2024/25, BAN vs SA 2nd Test Match Report, October 29 – November 2, 2024

BAN vs SA 2024/25, BAN vs SA 2nd Test Match Report, October 29 – November 2, 2024

Tea Bangladesh 43 for 4 (Shanto 13*, Muthusamy 2-10, Maharaj 1-6, Paterson 1-6) and 159 (Mominul 82, Rabada 5-37, Paterson 2-31, Maharaj 2-57) course South Africa 575 for December 6 with 373 runs

South Africa are six wickets away from completing a 2-0 series against Bangladesh to earn crucial points on the World Test Championship table. With five matches to go, including this one, South Africa need to win at least four to give themselves a chance of qualifying for the finals.

They showed their intent to aim for victory after forcing the follow-on against Bangladesh after bowling them out for 159, 216 runs short of the follow-on target and 416 runs behind South Africa’s total. Kagiso Rabada was the architect of the first innings collapse as he claimed a second five-for in the series, leaving Bangladesh on the ropes at 48 for 8. Rabada, who is number 1 again? in the Test bowling rankings, currently has a average of 8.64 in the seriesthe best among all South Africans, in a series in which a bowler has taken at least ten wickets. He currently has 14 wickets across the two matches.

But he didn’t do the work alone. His new ball partner Wiaan Mulder could have had the wicket in the first second innings when Shadman Islam fell behind in the second over, but Kyle Verreyne could not hold on. Four overs later, Dane Paterson beat Shadman, with a delivery that turned in to take the lead. Verreynne made no mistake. Rabada could have had Zakir Hasan in the next over but Aiden Markram dived over first slip at second slip and neither could complete the catch.

South Africa brought in their first spinner, Senuran Muthusamyin the 11th over and after waiting 35 overs to bowl in the first innings, he made the most of his opportunity. His fifth ball deflected away from Mahmudul Hasan Joy to take the lead. Markram completed a good low catch at slip. Three balls later, Mominul Haque, who scored a challenging 82 in the first innings, picked out Muthusamy on the leg-side boundary and Keshav Maharaj couldn’t believe his luck. Muthusamy also struck gold with the last ball before tea when Zakir Hasan came at him, missed and was stunned.

Shot selection will be a key part of Bangladesh’s post-series analysis, especially after there was some evidence of good decision-making earlier in the day. Mominul’s approach was particularly striking when Bangladesh fell apart.

They were reduced to 48 for 8 in the first half hour of play after losing four wickets in 12 balls. Rabada had Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto in two minds with a ball that spewed off the surface. Shanto wasn’t sure whether to drive or block and got an advantage over Kyle Verreynne. Four balls later, Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed. And in the next over, Rabada took two wickets in three balls: first when Mehidy Hasan Miraz followed a ball that moved away and was caught behind, and then when Mahidul Islam, on debut, raised his arms over his shoulders at a delivery that caught him hit the knee. roll. That gave Rabada his second five in as many Tests, and second on the subcontinent.

Momimul took the fight to South Africa and struck 10 runs from two Maharaj deliveries to take Bangladesh over 50 and avoid being dismissed for one of their three lowest totals in Test cricket. When Rabada was sacked a while later, Bangladesh was able to relax a bit, even though South Africa was favored for almost everything.

Maharaj reviewed two lbw objections against Taijul. The first was a clipping leg but held on the referee’s orders and the impact was outside on the second. He eventually had an lbw decision go his way when Langton Rusere teased Mominul out when he missed a sweep, but Mominul immediately reviewed and UltraEdge showed a lower boundary. Mominul was then on 37. He brought on fifty off Maharaj’s 76 balls and South Africa thought they had him later in the over when he appeared to be caught at leg slip. Replays showed the ball came off the flap of his front pad.

Rabada was brought back fifteen minutes before lunch and immediately thought he had a sixth. It looked like Mominul was caught down the leg side but Rabada had gone too far. Mominul’s response was to hit Rabada’s next ball for four. Left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Muthusamy got his first bowl five minutes before lunch and started with a half-volley that Mominul took past mid-on for four minutes. He pulled Rabada through mid-wicket to enter the seventies and took Bangladesh to lunch at 138 for 8.

His resistance was finally broken in the sixth over, after the lunch break, when Muthusamy’s fifth ball spun into him again and hit him on the front. Mominul was given out lbw and assessed but the ball appeared to race around the outside edge without making contact and the on-field decision was upheld. Mominul was dismissed 18 runs short of a 14th Test hundred. His stand of 103 runs with Taijul Islam was Bangladesh’s third highest partnership against South Africa and fourth highest for ninth wicket of all time.

Muthusamy had two more chances to end the innings. Taijul hit it too long but Ryan Rickelton couldn’t get to the ball and then he allowed Nahid Rana to dish out an lbw but he reviewed successfully. Keshav Maharaj ended the innings when he returned a catch to him, giving him a return of 2 for 57. At that point, South Africa opted not to bat again and as things stand, will be happy with their decision.

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa and women’s cricket correspondent