Tigers muddle up their approach
Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took six for 135 – the tenth time he has taken five wickets or more in a Test innings.
Openers Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudul Hasan Joy came out to bat in the third session yesterday after Bangladesh had bowled South Africa out for 453 after the hosts had enjoyed some wayward bowling to progress for a little more than 46 overs on Day Two following their overnight score of 278 for five.
The first over showed tricks that the surface and condition at Port Elizabeth could play on cricketers. Duanne Olivier got it to shape in to the left-handed Tamim from the second delivery and off the third delivery, Tamim punched one down the ground for three to find his feet and show the trueness of the surface.
Olivier then bowled almost the perfect outswinger to Joy to get the outside edge as Bangladesh lost their first wicket in the very first over. It was a precursor of things to come.
Bangladesh's first innings until the fifty-run mark, and perhaps a little beyond that, progressed in similar fashion to how South Africa's openers had started. Tamim played his shots while Nazmul Hossain tried to force the issue.
However, the boundary deliveries that were being offered by Bangladesh early in the innings to Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee were not present from the hosts' bowlers.
Instead of taking advantage of the subcontinent-like wicket and focusing on getting through the day, Tamim emphasised on the surface's allowance of hitting through the line. It worked to a point as South Africa's focus wavered towards excitability as Tamim was taking his chances and the wait for that inevitable wicket delivery grew.
Living on the edge, Tamim and Shanto's 79-run partnership was eventually ended by Proteas' third seamer Wiaan Mulder.
Where Bangladesh had seven specialist batters in a pitch good for batting, Mulder's presence showed its merits as South Africa were able to use more from the conditions after Simon Harmer was taken out of the attack in much the similar way as Mehedi Hasan Miraz was early in the South Africa innings. The comparison of aggression ends there as South Africa were able to play to the merit of deliveries later on during their innings.
Tamim's hurried knock of 47 from 57 came to an end, trapped in front of the stumps by Mulder, before the medium pacer also got the better off Shanto (33 off 74) and Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque for 6.
Hitting the seam was the basis of South Africa's bowling strategy and all of the third session, the pacers went about that objective, even as they were interrupted by Tamim's strokeplay. More importantly, Bangladesh' approach with the bat shied away quite a bit from their approach in Mount Maunganui during their epic first win of any kind on New Zealand soil. Then, Bangladesh had made the New Zealand pacers bowl to them. Here, their approach lacked conviction.
The wicket showed that it was still good for batting as close of play neared but Bangladesh will have to apply themselves a lot more to get even a draw from this match.
Earlier, Taijul Islam reached the 150 Test wickets landmark, finishing with six for 135. Bangladesh were however unable to attack with the ball for a considerable amount of time on the second day with South Africa always going after at least one spinner to make the pacers toil further. The unconvincing display also begs the question why Bangladesh's Test approach changes from series to series.