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Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Sport Cricket Proteas

Kyle Verreynne century puts Proteas in charge in first Test against Bangladesh

John Goliath|Published

Proteas wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne celebrates after scoring a century against Bangladesh. Proteas wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne celebrates after scoring a century against Bangladesh. Picture: by Tanvin Tamim / AFP

Proteas wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne scored a fighting century to put the South Africans in a commanding position after day two of the first Test against Bangladesh.

 

Verreynne’s second Test century and Wiaan Mulder’s half-century helped to guide the Proteas to 308 all out and a 202-run first innings lead.

Kagiso Rabada then struck twice with the new ball, before Bangladesh launched a fightback towards the end of the second day’s play to get to 101/3, still trailing the South Africans by 101 runs.

Verreynne (114 runs) and Mulder (64) shared a crucial 119-run stand for the seventh wicket after the Proteas suffered a mini collapse towards the end of the first day. The duo came together with the score on 106/6 and progressed the total to 227/7 after Mulder was caught at slip off the bowling of Hasan Mahmud.

 

 

After Keshav Maharaj was dismissed by the very next ball, off-spinner Dane Piedt (32) helped to guide Verreynne to his century after the pair shared a 66-run partnership.

Verreynne played with a mixture of aggression and caution, and only looked troubled by the bowling when he was getting closer to his century.

After reaching his century, he hit a couple of lusty blows after losing Piedt, before he was stumped trying to go for another big sweep shot.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam passed 200 Test wickets as he finished with 5/122, only the second Bangladeshi to achieve the feat after Shakib Al Hasan.

 

 

Rabada (2/10, who took his 300th Test wicket in the first innings, then removed Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque with a quick burst before the tea break to leave the home side reeling at 4/2.

However, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudul Hasan Joy steadied the ship with a 55-run stand for the fourth wicket, before Joy and the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim shared a an unbroken stand of 42 of just 55 balls at the end of the say to give them some hope.

They took quite a liking to the South African spinners Mararaj and Piedt, who will have to find some control on day three, while Rabada and Mulder are rotated from the other end.

@JohnGoliath82

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proteasbangladesh cricketkagiso rabadatest matchescricket