Published on 05:07 PM, April 09, 2022

Donald intervenes to fix field-placing before Khaled's breakthrough

Mushfiqur Rahim receiving instructions from Bangladesh's fast bowling coach Allan Donald. Photo: AFP

Fast bowler Khaled Ahmed repeated his act of picking up the first wicket of the day for Bangladesh in the second Test's second day in Gqeberha today. The 29-year-old has scalped his third wicket of the game so far as he removed overnight-batter Kyle Verrynne. 

Verreynne dismissal. Photo: AFP

South Africa, electing to bat first in the two-match Test series which they lead 1-0, already reached 300 for six in their first innings before Verrynne's departure and are well on course to post a huge total.   

Before the breakthrough, Bangladesh came close to striking in the fourth over of the day as overnight-batter Wiaan Mulder edged Ebadot Hossain delivery towards vacant third slip area, outside the reach of an outstretched Yasir Ali diving towards his right at second slip.

Although the ball was likely to have fallen short even in the presence of a third slip fielder, Mominul Haque's mindset came into question since the Tigers were bowling with a relatively fresh second new ball.
 
The Tigers fast bowling coach Allan Donald appeared frustrated from the dressing room and purposefully headed down to the boundary line. Donald was seen to instruct Mushfiqur Rahim and soon Bangladesh had installed a third slip but only for seven deliveries as Mominul reverted back to two slips as soon as Khaled was hit for a boundary in the cover region.

In Khaled's previous over, the pacer had managed to rattle Verrynne with an unsporting act. Verrynne, on strike, had played defensively back to the bowler and Khaled, almost impulsively, threw the ball at the stumps but it went on to hit Verrynne in the gloves, and worse, the batter had no clue that the ball was coming in his way.

Khaled and Ebadot have bowled relatively well than how they began the day yesterday. Taijul, however, is yet to find his rhythm as he found himself on the receiving end of the wrath of new batter Keshav Maharaj, who looked to be in a hurry to reach his fifty.