Joy ton couldn’t save Bangladesh from 69-run deficit

Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s maiden Test ton wasn’t enough for Bangladesh to avoid a first innings deficit, as they got bundled out for 298 in the post-Tea session of Day 3 of their first Test against South Africa at the Kingsmead Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

Joy departed as Bangladesh’s 10th batsman after making 137 off 325 balls. He struck 15 boundaries and two sixes in his wonderful innings but couldn’t save Bangladesh from conceding a 69-run deficit.

No other Bangladeshi crossed the 50-run mark with the second highest scorer of the Bangladesh innings being Liton Das with 41.

Joy is now Bangladesh’s only Test centurion against South Africa.

Bangladesh began the third session on 257-7 with Joy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz unbeaten on 106 and 24 respectively.

But Miraz gave a catch off Wiaan Mulder at slip after making 29.

Joy then cut loose, and smashed five fours and a six but couldn’t get Bangladesh over 300.

Earlier, Joy reached the three-figure mark by taking a couple of runs off Keshav Maharaj in the 97th over. The 21-year-old took 269 deliveries to reach the milestone and has struck 10 fours and one six along the way.

But the team found itself in a tricky situation after losing a well set Liton Das and Yasir Ali in the post-lunch session for 41 and 22 respectively.

Liton lost his wicket in the second delivery of the session, missing an in-swinging delivery from Lizaad Willams, which took his inside edge, ricocheted off his pads before crashing into the stumps.

Liton’s departure also brought an end to an 82-run stand, which was giving Bangladesh hopes of getting close to South Africa’s first innings total of 367.

Yasir and Joy then got together and added 33 runs for the seventh wicket before a miscommunication while running between the wickets cost the former his wicket.

Off-spinner Simon Harmer didn't take any wickets but remained South Africa's most successful bowler in the innings with four scalps while pacer Lizaad Williams took three wickets.