March 03, 2008	Monday	Safar 24, 1429

CHITTAGONG (Bangladesh), March 2: Bangladesh were staring at a huge defeat after yet another disappointing batting performance on the third day of the second and final Test against South Africa here on Sunday.

Up against South Africa’s mammoth first innings total of 583-7, Bangladesh were bundled out for 259 to concede a 324-run lead to the visitors.

Following on, the hosts were reeling at 54-5 to set the stage for South Africa to complete a 2-0 series whitewash. The Proteas won the opener at Dhaka by five wickets.

Mushfiqur Rahim was batting on four while Abdur Razzaq was yet to open his account when stumps were drawn for the day.

South African speedster Dale Steyn once again provided the vital breakthroughs, picking up three of the five wickets to fall in the second innings while left-arm spinner Robin Peterson took the other two.

Steyn accounted for opener Junaid Siddique (0), captain Mohammad Ashraful (four) and Saqibul Hasan (two) for figures of 3-4 from 4.3 overs.

Peterson got rid of Shahriar Nafees for a 55-ball 31 containing five fours and a six, and the other opener Tamim Iqbal for nine.

Shahriar had earlier top-scored for the hosts in the first innings with a 96-ball 69 containing 12 fours.

The only other notable contributor to the first-innings total was Saqibul, who chipped in with a 75-ball 40 as the South African fast bowlers proved too good for the fragile Bangladeshi batting line-up.

Paceman Makhaya Ntini (4-35) was also finally among wickets, polishing off the tail in quick time after Steyn (4-66) had as usual done the early damage.

Ntini brought down the curtains on the Bangladeshi first innings when he got rid of tailenders Mohammad Rafique and Mashrafe Mortaza soon after the tea break.

Both Rafique and Mashrafe were cleaned up by Mark Boucher behind the stumps.

Compounding the misery for Bangladesh was the injury sustained by Aftab Ahmed, who retired hurt on 21.

Aftab missed a hook off Jacques Kallis, the ball going through the helmet grille and hitting him on the cheekbone. The right-hander needed three stitches for the cut after being stretchered off the field in great agony.

It was not yet clear whether he would come out to bat in the second innings as he was being kept under medical observation for 24 hours.

Bangladesh had enjoyed a fine morning session when they put on 108 runs for the loss of one wicket – that of nightwatchman Razzaq (33).

But Steyn started the rot in the second session when he sent back Shahriar, who had hit him for two fours earlier in the over.

Steyn was unlucky not to get another wicket in his next over when Johan Botha, substituting for an injured Hashim Amla, dropped a sitter off Saqibul at gully.

Mushfiqur was also lucky when Graeme Smith failed to take a regulation catch off Kallis.

The visitors finally tasted success when Ntini, playing his 84th match, had Mushfiqur caught behind for 15 to surpass Allan Donald’s tally of 330 Test wickets and become the second most successful South African bowler ever.

The list is headed by the retired Shaun Pollock, who has 421 wickets from 108 Tests.

Ntini said he felt honoured to have achieved the feat in tough conditions on the subcontinent.

“It was one of those big moments I was waiting for. It can’t get better if you can bowl like this on the subcontinent and go past a legend.

“You have to run in and bowl in the right areas all the time. We are looking forward to the morning session tomorrow,” he said.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 583-7 declared (G.C. Smith 232, N.D. McKenzie 226).

BANGLADESH (1st Innings, overnight 60-3):

Tamim Iqbal c de Villiers b Steyn 14

Junaid Siddique c Boucher b Steyn 18

Shahriar Nafees c Smith b Steyn 69

Mohammad Ashraful c Boucher b Steyn 0

Abdur Razzaq c Prince b Peterson 33

Aftab Ahmed retired hurt 21

Saqibul Hasan c Boucher b Ntini 40

Mushfiqur Rahim c Boucher b Ntini 15

Mohammad Rafique c Smith b Ntini 10

Mashrafe Mortaza c Boucher b Ntini 1

Shahadat Hossain not out 13

EXTRAS (LB-11, W-1, NB-13) 25

TOTAL (all out, 70.4 overs) 259

FALL OF WKTS: 1-39, 2-49, 3-49, 4-118, 5-176, 6-232, 7-241, 8-246, 9-259.

BOWLING: Steyn 22-8-66-4 (5nb); Ntini 13.4-3-35-4; Morkel 13-0-71-0 (8nb); Peterson 16-2-61-1; Kallis 6-1-15-0 (1w).

BANGLADESH (2nd Innings, following on):

Tamim Iqbal c Steyn b Peterson 9

Junaid Siddique c Boucher b Steyn 0

Shahriar Nafees c Kallis b Peterson 31

Mohammad Ashraful c Boucher b Steyn 4

Saqibul Hasan c McKenzie b Steyn 2

Mushfiqur Rahim not out 4

Abdur Razzaq not out 0

EXTRAS (B-2, NB-2) 4

TOTAL (for five wkts, 25.3 overs) 54

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-44, 3-45, 4-49, 5-54.

BOWLING (to-date): Ntini 5-3-10-0; Steyn 4.3-2-4-3; Morkel 4-1-17-0 (2nb); Kallis 6-3-13-0; Peterson 6-0-8-2.

NOTE: Aftab Ahmed retired hurt at 176-5 in Bangladesh’s first innings.—AFP