Dale Steyn took 16,634 balls to reach 400 Test wickets in his 80th Test — the fewest in history. PHOTO: AFP
DHAKA: Dale Steyn claimed his 400th Test scalp as he shared six wickets with JP Duminy, putting South Africa on top on the first day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka Thursday.
Paceman Steyn claimed 3-30 while off-spinner Duminy took 3-27, as a mini collapse in the final session restricted Bangladesh to 246-8 at stumps.
Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim scored the lone half-century for Bangladesh and made a 94-run partnership with Mahmudullah for the fourth wicket, after he won the toss and elected to bat.
Rahim hit 65 off 125 balls, his 15th Test fifty and first in 12 innings as Bangladesh made slow progress before South Africa took control of the game in the final session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
Steyn struck early in the day, making opener Tamim Iqbal his 400th Test scalp.
The 32-year-old almost reached the landmark in his second over of the day but Dean Elgar dropped Tamim at second slip.
Skipper Hashim Amla made no mistake in Steyn’s next over when he took a chest-high catch at first slip.
“It’s a mix of different emotions really,” said Steyn, who was wearing a Dennis Lillee-style headband on the field after growing his hair long.
“I don’t really know what to say. It’s pretty cool to take the wickets and get the headband off and get the hair off,” he told reporters after the day’s play. “I think I have taken some abuse about my hair. That doesn’t influence my bowling at all.”
Shaun Pollock is the only other South African to pass the 400-mark, taking 421 wickets before retiring in 2008.
Steyn, who is playing his 80th Test, became the 13th cricketer to take 400 or more wickets in Test matches.
Duminy struck twice in successive overs following lunch after Mominul Haque and Imrul Kayes had helped Bangladesh stage something of a recovery from the early loss of Tamim.
Duminy forced an edge from Mominul for 40, ending the batsman’s 69-run second wicket stand with Kayes.
Kayes followed Mominul, who hit six fours off 87 balls, when Duminy struck in his next over, trapping the left-hander leg-before for 30.
Mahmudullah was given out leg-before on 18 off Steyn but the decision was overturned on review as a replay showed a big inside edge.
Steyn later broke his partnership with Rahim as the right-hander flicked a catch to Temba Bavuma at short midwicket after reaching 35.
Rahim had been looking solid until occasional left-arm spinner Elgar spun one sharply to take his glove and the ball carried to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas.
Elgar then pouched Liton Das at short midwicket as Duminy claimed his third wicket.
Shakib alHasan edged Morne Morkel to Elgar at gully for 35 before Steyn bowled Mohammad Shahid in the last ball of the day to complete Bangladesh’s misery.
Despite the disappointing end to the day, Mominul said Bangladesh still hoped to post a score of around 300 which he felt would be competitive. “We still have two wickets. We will try if we can score 300 runs,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2015.
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