Taijul Takes Five but South Africa Maintains Control

In the second Test in Chattogram, Bangladesh's Taijul Islam secured his 14th five-wicket haul, yet South Africa continued to assert their dominance over the match. After resuming play at 307 for 2, South Africa added more than 100 runs in the first session of day two, finishing with 413 for 5 at lunch.

Tony de Zorzi led the charge for South Africa, scoring an impressive 177, while David Bedingham contributed 59 runs. The duo started the day with confidence, with Bedingham cutting Hasan Mahmud for a boundary and hitting Taijul for a six and a four in quick succession. De Zorzi also found success against Taijul, striking two more fours in his next over.

The session saw a shift in momentum when Bedingham was bowled for 59 after playing across the line to a full delivery from Taijul. Shortly after, Taijul trapped de Zorzi lbw, bringing his innings to a close at 177 off 269 balls. Taijul then completed a rapid three-wicket haul by dismissing Kyle Verreynne for a duck, effectively taking all five wickets to fall in the session.

South Africa had enjoyed a strong opening day, with both de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs scoring centuries and contributing to a 201-run partnership for the second wicket. This partnership followed the early loss of captain Aiden Markram. Bangladesh struggled to contain the South African batting lineup, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s wicketless streak extending to 31 overs as the session progressed.

Despite Taijul's efforts, South Africa remained firmly in control as they looked to build a substantial first-innings lead. The match continues to unfold as Bangladesh aims to recover and challenge the visitors.