Verreynne and Mulder's Fifties Propel South Africa to Commanding Position Against Bangladesh
Both batsmen were cautious, opting for singles and twos while capitalizing on scoring opportunities when they arose. Verreynne showcased his aggressive intent with premeditated sweeps against the spinners, executing the shot effectively.
Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder's half-centuries have positioned South Africa firmly in control during the first Test against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Dhaka. The pair's crucial partnership of 119 runs for the seventh wicket helped the visitors reach 243 for 8 at Lunch on Day 2.
Having bowled out Bangladesh for a mere 102 on the first day, South Africa faced early challenges, slipping to 108 for 6 at one point. However, Verreynne and Mulder managed to stabilize the innings briefly on the previous evening and continued their solid performance into the second morning.
After a quiet start to the day, Verreynne began to find his rhythm, striking a couple of boundaries off Hasan Mahmud. Both batsmen were cautious, opting for singles and twos while capitalizing on scoring opportunities when they arose. Verreynne showcased his aggressive intent with premeditated sweeps against the spinners, executing the shot effectively.
Mulder, employing a more conservative straight-bat technique, reached the milestone of their century partnership with a crisp cover drive off Taijul Islam. However, Bangladesh had a reprieve when Mominul Haque dropped a simple catch at short leg when Mulder was on 47, failing to hold onto an inside edge. Although Mulder couldn’t make them pay too heavily for the mistake, he did achieve his maiden Test fifty before being dismissed for 54.
Mahmud struck twice in quick succession, first having Mulder caught at wide slip and then cleaning up Keshav Maharaj with a stunning delivery. Despite the wickets, South Africa maintained control, with Verreynne remaining unbeaten on 77 at the Lunch break.
Brief Scores:
Bangladesh: 102
Top scorer: Mahmudul Hasan 30
Bowling highlights: Wiaan Mulder 3-22, Kagiso Rabada 3-26, Keshav Maharaj 3-34
South Africa: 243/8
Top scorers: Kyle Verreynne 77*, Wiaan Mulder 54
Bowling highlight: Taijul Islam 5-93
South Africa now leads by 137 runs as they look to build on their advantage.
