DHAKA: Bangladesh want to take advantage of the gains they earned from the rain-hit drawn first Test against South Africa in the series-ending second starting in Dhaka on Thursday.

Showing a highly energetic performance in Chittagong last week, Bangladesh bowled the visitors out for a noteworthy 248 in the first innings, and replied with 326, their highest score against South Africa.

Bangladesh applied most of the pressure for the three days played, and captain Mushfiqur Rahim termed the performance as the beginning of achieving something bigger in a format where they are yet to beat any topflight teams.

Bangladesh’s seven Test wins have been against Zimbabwe and a second-string West Indies. But thanks to encouraging results and new players, Bangladesh have created a genuine sense of anticipation of an unprecedented achievement in this brief series as they prepare to taken on the Proteas in the final Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

“We can take plenty of confidence from the first Test,” Mushfiqur said on Wednesday. “Our bowling unit clicked in amazing style, and have the belief that they can bowl out South Africa below 250 if they put the ball in the right spot. So we know it’s possible to win the Test and win the series by 1-0.”

South Africa won the Twenty20 series and first ODI, then lost the ODI series for the first time. The Proteas have not lost an overseas Test series since 2006, and Bangladesh was wary of a backlash.

“They know South Africa will come up all guns blazing,” Mushfiqur said. “We are confident and keen to make a statement [also].”

He said psychological fatigue shouldn’t be a problem. Bangladesh conceded momentum at the end of their last two series, against Pakistan and India, partly because they haven’t been used to playing long series.

“The challenge of Test cricket is to keep up the intensity for five straight days,” Mushfiqur said. “Yes, we weren’t focused on our job at the end of the last couple of series. The players are aware of it, and trying to learn from the mistakes.

“We are mentally strong enough to cope with adverse situations. We came back in the series after losing the last match against India, the Twenty20 series, and first ODI to South Africa.”

Mushfiqur said his team dominated the Chittagong Test against the Proteas before rain forced a draw.

“It is an opportunity against the world’s number one team and to put them under pressure,” he remarked. “We almost dominated them in every sessions of the last match and we have the capability to pick up 20 wickets. But it’s not that we can win in one day, so we need to be consistent and that is a big challenge.”

But monsoon rain, again, threatens to undermine Bangladesh’s hopes. Heavy rain and thunder showers are forecast every single day.

South Africa captain Hashim Amla expected the rain to stay away to allow a full five-day game.

“We managed to get in a few training sessions although there was rain around,” Amla said. “Thankfully, the weather looks very good at the moment. If we can get a full five days, it’s about us trying to do as well as we can. We haven’t showed our full potential yet.”

Amla denied his team was under pressure to restore pride despite being unbeaten in a Test series on the subcontinent since 2006.

“Certainly we are here to win. We started well in the last Test match’s first two sessions. It was a kind of a drifter in the two days after that,” Amla said. “But this Test match everybody is excited. We managed to get a few training sessions although there was rain around.”

Amla said South Africa were unlikely to add another pacer to their line-up.

South Africa fielded with three pacers — Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander — during the opening Test.

Steyn needs just one more wicket to join a select group of bowlers to claim 400 Test scalps.

Teams (from):

BANGLADESH: Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Taijul Islam, Mohammad Shahid, Jubair Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Rubel Hossain, Nasir Hossain.

SOUTH AFRICA: Stiaan van Zyl, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla (captain), J.P. Duminy, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Simon Harmer, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Reeza Hendricks, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada.

Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (England) and Paul Reiffel (Australia).

TV umpire: Joel Wilson (West Indies).

Match referee: Chris Broad (England).

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2015

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