Keshav Maharaj: Proteas still in driving seat in first Test against Bangladesh

KAGISO Rabada’s tail was up very early on day three as the Proteas looked to skittle Bangladesh out cheaply to possibly get a three-day innings victory in the first Test at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday, but they were thwarted by bad light.

With the hosts three down at the start of play and staring at a deficit of 101 runs – with Mahmudul Joy and Mushfiqur Rahim in the middle – Bangladesh looked to eat up the deficit and try to set a decent target for their spinners to bowl at.

However, Rabada (4/35 in 15 overs) had other ideas as he dismissed Joy (40) and Rahim (11) three overs into ‘Moving Day’.

The 29-year-old lured Joy into fishing at a fifth stump delivery and had him caught at first slip by David Bedingham, while he clean-bowled Rahim in an almost identical way that he did in the first innings.

As good as Rabada was in the first hour of play yesterday, he needed Keshav Maharaj to be just as good on the other end, and the spinner did an incredible holding job, giving nothing away for the batters to pounce on.

As a result, the pair conceded only two runs in the first 18 deliveries of the day, and the team were rewarded with two quick wickets soon after.

After the first hour and for the rest of the day, it was Maharaj (3/105 in 37 overs) who looked more threatening as the ball got softer and the wicket flatter.

“In the morning when I bowled in tandem with KG, I could see that his tail was up and he got the ball to do a little bit. So, my job at that end was to try to hold up an end,” Maharaj told the media after play came to an end early due to bad light.

“When the switch came, I posed a little bit more when the ball started to spin.”

Maharaj trapped Liton Das in front quite early to hand South Africa their third scalp of the day but from that point onwards, it was a Mehidy Miraz (87 not out) and Jaker Ali Show as the hosts fought back.

The pair put together a 138-run partnership and frustrated the Proteas until Maharaj got the better of Ali (58).

By that time, Bangladesh had already attained a lead of 48 and looked to add more, but were prevented by bad weather.

Maharaj told the media that the bowling attack did not tone down the intensity after getting three wickets early on, and that it was purely a good display of batting from the hosts.

The 34-year-old believes that the Proteas are still in front despite Bangladesh’s 81-run lead going into today’s action.

“Mehidy and Jaker Ali played very well. We threw everything at them. I don’t think it was a case of us taking our foot off the gas,” he said.

TEAM TRADITION 🏏

A special moment where the torch is passed!
The player who last scored a 💯 hands over the stump to the next centurion. David Bedingham, who recorded his ton against New Zealand earlier this year, now passes it to Kyle Verreynne, fresh off his second century!… pic.twitter.com/I1e7cA25yf

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 23, 2024

“Bangladesh batted well today. The conditions got a little better with a slightly used ball, but I think we are still ahead.

“Bangladesh have a lead, and we have three wickets more to go. If we can restrict them as much as possible...

“But I still feel we are in the driving seat, considering the good work that we did in our first innings.”

Brief Scores

Bangladesh first innings 106 (Mahmudul Joy 30; Wiaan Mulder 3/22)

South Africa first innings 308 (Kyle Verreynne 114; Taijmul Islam 5/122)

Bangladesh second innings 283/7 (Mehidy Miraz 87*; Kagiso Rabada 4/35, Keshav Maharaj 3/105)