BAN vs SA, 1st Test: 5-star Taijul leads Bangladesh fightback on 16-wicket Day 1
Bangladesh vs South Africa, 1st Test: Bangladesh were bundled out for 106 on Day 1 of the Test match. However, they bounced back, riding on spinner Taijul Islam's five-wicket haul, and did not allow South Africa to run away with the advantage.
by India Today Sports Desk · India TodayIn Short
- 16 wickets fell on Day 1 in Mirpur -- the most on the first day of a Test in Bangladesh
- Kagiso Rabada, Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj shone for South Africa with the ball
- Taijul Islam became the second Bangladesh bowler to take 200 wickets
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam led Bangladesh's fightback on Day 1 of their first Test against South Africa in Mirpur on Monday, October 21. As many as 16 wickets fell as South Africa managed to head to stumps with a 34-run lead after a steady partnership between wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne and lower-order batter Wiaan Mulder.
The pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur was a spicy one as it assisted the pace bowlers and spinners throughout the day. While South Africa played two specialist fast bowlers in Mulder and Kagiso Rabada, Hasan Mahmud was the lone fast bowler for Bangladesh. The Mirpur Test entered record books as 16 was the most number of wickets fallen on Day 1 of a Test match in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh's decision to win the toss and opt to bat on Day 1 backfired as they were bundled out for 106, their fifth-lowest total in a Test match at home.
Bangladesh lost opener Shadman Islam, former captain Mominul Haque, and captain Najmul Hossain Shantio for single-digit scores as Wiaan Mulder unleashed hell with the new ball in slightly overcast conditions.
Kagiso Rabada joined in on the party, picking up the big wickets of Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz cheaply. Rabada completed 300 Test wickets with the scalp of Mushfiqur, becoming the third-fastest Proteas bowler to complete the milestone.
Spinners Keshav Mahraj and Dane Piedt then made the most of the conditions, picking up four wickets between them. Piedt got the big scalp of Mahmaddul, the only Bangladesh batter who survived more than 10 overs in the middle.
Bangladesh were bundled out in just 40.1 overs.
South Africa made a wobbly start with the bat as their captain Aiden Markram was undone by a special delivery from Mahmud, who continued to impress after five-wicket hauls against Pakistan and India. Tajiul then took over, picking up his 13th five-wicket haul in Tests. The 32-year-old left-arm spinner achieved a milestone, becoming only the second Bangladesh bowler to take 200 wickets in Test cricket.
MOST WICKETS FOR BANGLADESH IN TESTS
1. Shakib Al Hasan - 246 wickets
2. Taijul Islam - 201 wickets*
3. Mehidy Hasan Miraz - 183 wickets
4. Mohammad Rafique - 100 wickets
Quite a few South African batters got starts, but none of them were able to convert them into substantial knocks.
Tristan Stubbs tried to take the attacking route, hitting 23 off 27, but he was undone by Taijul. Ryan Rickelton hit 27 off 49 balls before falling to the left-arm spinner. South Africa were reeling at 108 for 6 before Verreynne and Mulder steadied the ship.