Mushfiqur Rahim and Imrul Kayes struck beefy 80s as Bangladesh made full use of the two-day warm-up match against SAA Challenge XI at the De Beers Diamond Oval ground here on Sunday.
The match ended in a predictable draw. But it was good to see young opener Kayes, who struggled throughout the one-day series, scoring heavily in the match. The left-hander made 86 off 150 balls with the help of fifteen sweetly-timed boundaries while wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur scored 89 off 124 balls that featured sixteen fours as the Tigers amassed 375 all out in reply to the home team’s first innings total of 265.
SAA Challenge made 74 for two in their second essay before the stumps were drawn. The only highlight of the home side’s second innings was paceman Shahadat Hossain’s two wickets off successive deliveries.
Except Zunaed Siddiqui, all the Bangladeshi batsmen got some runs ahead of the first Test that starts from November 19 in Bloemfontein. But there was little evidence that at least three batsmen including captain Mohammad Ashraful took notice of the coach’s advice of playing with patience.
Ashraful as usual looked in hurry to accumulate runs against an average bowling attack and paid the penalty for unnecessarily chasing a delivery outside the off-stump. The itchy-feet Bangladesh captain made 48 off 50 balls that featured nine boundaries before being caught at slip by Wendell Bossenger off Lundi Mbane.
Two left-handers Mehrab Hossain and Shakib Al Hasan also got out in similar fashion although coach Jamie Siddons had expressed his desire before the match that he would love to see his charges leaving the balls as much as possible.
Mehrab offered a catch at first slip to Bossenger off the most successful bowler Mthokozisi Shezi who also took the wicket of Kayes.
Resuming the day on 93-2, Bangladesh went to lunch on 215 for five from 49 overs.
The home side managed quick breakthroughs after the break with Shakib becoming the fourth victim of Shezi, out for a 32-ball 19.
Nayeem Islam then joined Mushfiqur Rahim and it was nice to see the way two young batsmen batted throughout the second session before the former was dismissed for 33 runs which came from 60 deliveries and included three fours and a six as Bangladesh scored 253 for seven at tea.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh team management is hopeful that pace spearhead Mashrafe Bin Mortaza will be available for first Test as he put aside the pain and returned to training yesterday.