Cricket
Mulder scores maiden ton as Proteas continue to dominate─── MORGAN PIEK 14:24 Wed, 30 Oct 2024
The Proteas are in firm control of the 2nd Test against Bangladesh at stumps on day two in Chattogram following another outstanding batting display.
South Africa resumed their first innings on 307/2 after 81 overs with Tony de Zorzi on 141 not out, while David Bedingham was unbeaten on 18. Bedingham lost his wicket for 59 with South Africa’s score on 386, before De Zorzi was trapped lbw 16 balls later for a career-best 177.
The allrounder Wiaan Mulder became the third Protea to score his maiden century in the Test with 105 not out, while Senuran Muthusamy was unbeaten on 68 at the time of the declaration with South Africa’s scored on 575/6.
Tony de Zorzi. Photo: Cricinfo
Mulder reached the milestone in style with a six over the bowler, Taijul Islam’s head, just a few balls after coming close to being run out with his score of 98. South Africa did receive a 5-run penalty for Muthusamy running on the pitch in the danger zone, and that would mean that Bangladesh would start their innings on five runs.
Islam was the best bowler for Bangladesh by a long-short with 5/198 in 52.2 overs. De Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs with 106 reached three figures in Test cricket for the first time on day one.
Bangladesh’s innings got off to a very rocky start with the world’s leading bowler, Kagiso Rabada taking 2/8 in 3 overs to see the Tigers reeling at 38/4 at stumps. Dane Paterson and Keshav Maharaj each took one wicket to make the task much harder for the hosts.
Speaking about his career-best innings, De Zorzi, said Test cricket is all about tuning in.
“I'd say most of it is a mental element, probably 80-90% of it, because once you're in it becomes pretty much about your decision making and your ability to stay focused, staying in your in your game plan and identifying what's working on the wicket against certain bowlers and then just sticking to it not going too much outside of that because you don't need to in this format,” said De Zorzi.
“So it's definitely 100% mental and obviously physical as you saw you have to be physically fit enough to be able to do it and be able to concentrate for long periods of time.
“You need to be able to switch on and switch off, so I'd say to do it for a long time you've got to be 100% present as much as you can and focused.”
Bangladesh will resume their first innings tomorrow still trailing by 537 runs, with the captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque being the men at the crease.
