Firdose Moonda, South Africa Correspondent, ESPNcricinfo October 29, 2024, 2:06am ET
Ranchi South Africa 109-1 (De Sorge 49*, Stubbs 23*) v Bangladesh
Aiden Markram and Tony de Sorge shared their third fifty-plus opening stand in four Tests as South Africa got off to a strong start on Chattogram’s batsman-friendly pitch. Markram, who captained in place of the injured Themba Bavuma, opted to bat first and South Africa scored fairly freely against Bangladesh’s four-man attack.
The host team included an extra seamer in 22-year-old Nahid Rana, who shared the new ball with Hasan Mahmoud. Rana’s early signs were impressive, reaching speeds of over 140km/h and swinging the ball away from Aiden Markram, but failing to force any false strokes. Instead, South Africa read the bounce well and Markram hit Hasan off the back foot through the covers for his first boundary in the third over. He then kicked Lana away with his front foot and performed a variety of drives.
Bangladesh went into spin early, bringing on Taijul Islam in the fifth over, but the only half-chance of the first hour came at the other end. De Zorzi took Hasan’s first ball of the fourth over past debutant wicketkeeper Mahidul Islam, but Mahidul Islam could not reach the ball. De Sorge’s reaction was not to back down. In the next over, he hit Taijul for six and then sent Hasan flying over the covers for four. The South African 50-year-old rose through the ranks with a scoring rate of 4.6 runs per over in 11 overs and went for drinks with 60 without losing.
Sensing a turn-on, he immediately spun from both ends, resulting in success. After De Zorzi showed his aggression by hitting Mehdi Hasan Miraz for a four at midwicket, Markram worked his way to Taijul’s ball, which was not as short as he had expected. . He chip-shot it to Monimul Haq at mid-on.
Markram’s dismissal allowed Bangladesh to reverse the situation. With Tristan Stubbs out, the team conceded 21 deliveries. The first four were scored during a reverse sweep that left Miraz one point behind, but Bangladesh came back for another squeeze. After 28 more balls and scoring just 14 runs, De Sorge brought South Africa’s hundred with a sumptuous cover drive. Hasan edged de Zorzi off the next ball, for the second time in the session, but de Zorzi survived. He went to lunch one away from 50 in the third Test.
