Taijul Islam took two wickets but South Africa went into the Tea break with a lead of 320 as they reached 84-2 in their second innings at the end of the second session of Day 3 of the second Test between Bangladesh and South Africa at the St. Geroge’s Park in Port Eizabeth on Sunday.
Taijul bowled South Africa skipper Dean Elgar for 26 and trapped Keegan Peterson leg-before wicket for 14 in the last ball of the session while opener Sarel Erwee remained unbeaten on 40.
Earlier in the session, South Africa earned a massive 236-run lead by bowling out Bangladesh for 217 in the first innings.
South Africa had the chance to ask Bangladesh to bat again as the tourists fell 37 runs short of avoiding follow on. But the hosts have opted to bat again and set a big target for the Tigers to chase in the fourth innings.
Bangladesh's hope of avoiding follow on was hanging on by a thread after losing Mushfiqur Rahim and Yasir Ali in the morning session of Day 3 and reaching 210-7 at Lunch.
Bangladesh needed another 44 runs to avoid follow on but they could only muster seven runs in the post-Lunch session.
Simon Harmer and Wiaan Mulder took three wickets apiece while Duanne Olivier and Keshav Maharaj bagged two wickets each.
Bangladesh resumed the day’s play on 139-5 with Mushfiq and Yasir unbeaten on 30 and eight respectively.
Bangladesh were still trailing South Africa by 314 and needed another 115 runs to avoid follow on.
The match started 20 minutes later due to rain. When play started, Bangladesh started showing signs of a fight back from the very first over as Yasir struck a hat-trick of boundaries off Lizaad WIlliams to start the day.
Mushfiq and Yasir continued showing measured aggression by hitting boundaries when the opportunity presented itself.
Yasir ended up giving a return catch to Maharaj to fall two runs short of what would’ve been his second Test fifty.
Yasir had survived a review taken by South Africa for leg-before wicket in the same over, but in the end paid the price for not playing with a straight bat on a pitch that is offering considerable turn for left-arm spinner Maharaj.
Mushfiq kept battling with Miraz at the other end and reached his 25th Test fifty.
But just when it looked like Bangladesh would end the session without any further damage, Mushfiq attempted to play a reverse sweep off Harmer in the same over he completed his half century. The veteran batsman missed the ball completely as it kept a tad low and hit the off stump.