A TOUCH OF CLASS
MARKRAM: NEW PROTEAS OPENER LOOKS THE REAL DEAL
Visitors put hosts in, a decision they are living to regret.
Bangladesh captain Mushfiqir Rahim left the responsibility for having a good first day on a flat pitch up to his bowlers and it backfired spectacularly as South Africa helped themselves to 298/1 on the opening day of the first Test yesterday.
It seemed a bad decision from the start when Rahim allowed South Africa to bat first on a blustery day with the morning cloud rapidly dissipating, and openers Dean Elgar and debutant Aiden Markram ensured the hosts took full advantage of their gift.
Their opening stand of 196 was the sixth highest in Test history after a team has been sent in to bat and Markram looked set for a dream century on debut before he suffered the heartbreak of being run out for 97.
The youngster was charging down the pitch trying to give Elgar the single that would have brought up his hundred, so the fault was partly his, although it also showed what a wonderful team man the 22-year-old is.
He is only the third debutant to be run out in the 90s, one of the others being Gordon Greenidge, and if Markram enjoys a career that approaches that of the great West Indian he will be delighted.
Elgar seemed to take much of the blame because his celebrations when he reached his ninth Test century two balls later and on the stroke of tea were muted, and he added just 28 more runs in 35 overs in the final session. Nevertheless, his 128 not out off 285 balls was fitting reward for his great shot-selection and fine technique.
Having thoroughly enjoyed the class strokeplay of Markram, whose driving was particularly fabulous, the crowd sprinkled around the grass banks enjoyed the last two hours of play as Hashim Amla put on a show for them, gliding to 68 not out, which included seven fours and a six.
It was a tough old day for Bangladesh and Rahim must take much of the blame for that. Apart from his clanger at the toss, he also introduced spin after just five overs, which made no sense after his comments at the toss about exploiting early moisture. He also made a staggering 22 bowling changes during the day, which did not allow his bowlers to settle into their spells.
There seemed little stomach for a fight as the general impression given by defensive fielding positions was one of allowing the Proteas batsmen to bat without any pressure being put on them.
The home bowlers will certainly not be as hospitable and life is going to be much tougher for the Bangladesh batsmen, especially with some deliveries already keeping low.