Mulder’s three-wicket blast stuns Bangladesh

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Wiaan Mulder celebrates a wicket with his teammates
  • Post published:April 9, 2022

All-rounder Wiaan Mulder took three wickets in quick succession to put the Proteas on top on the second day of the second Test against Bangladesh at St George’s Park.

Bangladesh were 139-5 at the close in reply to South Africa’s first-innings total of 453.

Bangladesh lost a wicket in the first over of their reply when first Test century-maker Mahmudul Hasan was caught at first slip off Duanne Olivier for nought.

Tamim Iqbal and Najmul Hossain put on 79 for the second wicket, scoring at nearly four runs an over, before the medium-paced Mulder came into the attack.

He dismissed Tamim (47), Najmul (33) and captain Mominul Haque (6) in almost identical fashion.

Bowling around the wicket, he angled the ball into the three left-handers and trapped them lbw.

At one stage, he had three wickets for five runs in five overs. He finished the day with 3-15.

Olivier came back into the attack and bowled Liton Das for 11 with a ball that seamed back between bat and pad to rip out the middle stump.

Mushfiqur Rahim survived two South African reviews for lbw but batted through until the close when he had 30*.

Keshav Maharaj, Man of the Match for his bowling in the Proteas’ 220-run win in the first Test, top-scored for South Africa with a career-best 84.

He hit his runs off 95 balls with nine fours and three sixes as the Proteas added 175 runs to their overnight 278-5.

Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took 6-135 – the 10th time he has bagged five wickets or more in a Test innings.

Maharaj raced to his fourth Test half-century off 50 balls with four fours and three sixes and went on to make his highest Test score.

He came in after Kyle Verreynne was bowled for 22 by Khaled Ahmed and almost immediately went on the attack, being severe on fellow left-arm spinner Taijul, whose first ball of the day was hit for six.

Taijul, Bangladesh’s best bowler on the first day, conceded 27 runs in six overs before switching ends and bowling Mulder for 33.

He finally bowled Maharaj when the batsman tried one big shot too many and was bowled, and also had Simon Harmer smartly stumped for 29 by wicketkeeper Liton Das.

The first nine South African batsmen made 20 runs or more, but there were no centuries.

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Marco Longari /AFP via Getty Images