Bangladesh v South Africa, 1st Test, day 2 - Tamim Iqbal-Mahmudullah Riyad's partnership and Dale Steyn's ordinary bowling

Tamim Iqbal was the batsman who played Dale Steyn with authority and the reason for that has been Steyn’s ordinary bowling – he delivered most of the balls wide outside off at him and such deliveries are not ideal against the left-handers.

Tamim faced 27 balls from Steyn and scored 21 runs with two boundaries and 12 of those runs came from that cover and  extra-cover region. When it matters the most, Steyn usually brings the ball back into the left-handers to unsettle them rather than using the short-balls. But surprisingly, Steyn didn’t bring the ball back in more often against Tamim – he was allowed to settle and I guess, it helped Bangladesh a lot.

Similarly, Mahmudullah faced 28 balls from Steyn and scored 16 runs – a resolved one, but Steyn’s length was on the good- length-wide-of-off, too-fullish-wide-of-off  and too straight-moving-towards-leg-stump. Riyad scored five runs from that cover and extra-cover area, four from third man, four from long leg and two from square leg – the scoring areas indicate how ordinary Steyn has been today when he was much needed for a penetration by his team.

Like Bangladesh, the Proteas did make run-scoring difficult for the home team, but it’s hard to expect wickets when your main weapon fails to fire. Philander and Morne Morkel, bowled well to keep things tight, but Steyn was found wanting – he ran in, bowled, huffed and puffed without any rewards.

The Bangladeshi batsmen must be given the credit for not losing patience during the middle-stage of the day and exhibited good temperament while traveling through a frustrating passage. The challenge if not threat posed by Philander, Morkel and Harmer during that stage was well handled by Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah Riyad.

Philander was seen coming at his best in the post tea session as he generated deceptive pace and late-swing and removed Mahmudullah and it seemed that South Africa might jolt Bangladesh, but rain stopped the rest of the day's play.

Hashim Amla’s captaincy was not up to the mark. I found Mushfiqur Rahim more innovative and thinking than him in this Test match. Moreover, Mushfiq’s strike bowler delivered the goods when it was required and in that sense, I feel sorry for Amla.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar