Verreynne scores century to put South Africa in command in first Test against Bangladesh

Kyle Verreynne’s century helped South Africa tighten their grip on Bangladesh in the first Cricket Test match on Tuesday.

Verreynne’s 114, his second Test ton, pushed South Africa to 308 and a 202-run lead in the first innings.

When bad light forced stumps on day two, Bangladesh was 101-3 and still needing 101 more runs to make South Africa bat a second time.

Opener Mahmudul Hasan was 38 not out and Mushfiqur Rahim 31 in an unbeaten 42-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Verreynne shared two vital partnerships - 119 with Wiaan Mulder for the seventh wicket and 66 with Dane Piedt for the ninth.

He was the last batter out after hitting eight fours and two sixes in his 144-ball knock.

Mulder made 54 off 112 and Piedt scored 32 off 87.

South Africa started the day ahead by only 140-6 and in danger of being bowled out without a significant lead as the Bangladesh spinners continued enjoying turn and bounce since the day one evening session.

But Verreynne and Mulder batted resolutely to quell the tension.

They played sweep and reverse sweep shots perfectly to astutely deal with the spinners and take control.

“I don’t think there’s been any extra emphasis (on the sweep shot),” Verreynne said.

“It is something that I have worked on quite a bit against spinners. It is not really a subcontinent specific thing. I would play it back home against spin as much as possible.”

Verreynne raised his fourth fifty from 67 balls by sweeping Taijul Islam to short square leg, and took on the other spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Naeem Hasan.

Mulder reverse-swept off-spinner Nayeem for four through third man to reach his maiden half-century off 105 balls.

As the partnership grew stronger, pacer Hasan Mahmud gave the side some respite with two wickets in consecutive deliveries.

He had Mulder caught by Shadman Islam at wide slip with a back-of-length delivery and clean-bowled Keshav Maharaj for a duck.

Bangladesh looked to wrap up the innings with South Africa ahead by 121 runs. But Piedt gave Verreynne ample support to rotate the scoreboard rapidly and lift the lead past 200.

Verreynne brought up his century off 134 balls, sweeping Taijul powerfully through deep square leg for a single.

“It is definitely the best innings of my Test career,” Verreynne said. “It is probably the toughest conditions I have played under in terms of heat and humidity.”

Miraz, who took 2-63, broke through with the wicket of Piedt leg before.

Verreynne hit two sixes off Miraz before the bowler got the better of him to finally close South Africa’s innings.

Hasan Mahmud took 3-66 while Taijul couldn’t add any wickets to his overnight tally and finished with 5-93.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada took two wickets in three balls to reduce Bangladesh to 4-2 in the third over.

Mahmudul Hasan and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto resisted to add 55 runs before Keshav Maharaj dismissed the latter for 23.

Mahmudul barely saved himself from being stumped off the last ball of the day, and Mushfiqur, as Bangladesh’s leading Test run-scorer, passed 6,000 runs.

“If we can set them a 200-run target, we’ll win the match,” pacer Mahmud said. “And to do so, we need to play at least three sessions and get big partnerships from our batters tomorrow.”

Agence France-Presse