De Zorzi and Stubbs Shine with Maiden Tons on a Strong Day for South Africa

De Zorzi and Stubbs Shine with Maiden Tons on a Strong Day for South Africa

Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs both celebrated their first Test centuries in Chattogram, marking a significant day for South African cricket. With just eight and five Test caps respectively, the duo formed a formidable partnership, posting 201 runs for the second wicket—South Africa's third-highest in Asia—to put the team in a commanding position for a series sweep.

Batting conditions favored the batsmen, with minimal seam movement, swing, and only slight turn for the Bangladeshi bowlers. While Bangladesh struggled to maintain pressure, Nahid Rana stood out among the bowlers, impressively reaching speeds of 148 kph but failing to take a wicket. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam managed to claim wickets, though Hasan Mahmud felt unlucky, especially after dropping two catches off de Zorzi's bat at scores of 6 and 69. De Zorzi ended the day unbeaten on 141.

South Africa began strongly, with stand-in captain Aiden Markram and de Zorzi scoring at a brisk pace of 4.6 runs per over. They reached 60 without loss before the first drinks break. The only scare came when de Zorzi edged a delivery from Hasan, which debutant wicketkeeper Mahidul Islam couldn’t hold onto. Bangladesh turned to spin after the initial onslaught, with Taijul striking soon after, dismissing Markram, who misjudged a short delivery.

After Markram's dismissal, Bangladesh managed to slow the scoring rate, with Stubbs playing cautiously. He eventually found his rhythm with a reverse sweep for four off Mehidy Hasan Miraz. De Zorzi reached his fifty after lunch, and the pair settled into a solid partnership, navigating a challenging afternoon session with only a few boundaries.

The scoring picked up again as Stubbs hit his second Test fifty and gained confidence with aggressive shots against Mehidy. De Zorzi celebrated his century with a sweep through square leg, becoming only the second black African batter from South Africa to achieve this milestone, after Temba Bavuma.

As the afternoon progressed, de Zorzi struggled with cramps while Stubbs showcased his intent, hitting two sixes off Mehidy. Stubbs eventually reached his hundred with a single to deep point, receiving a standing ovation from his teammates.

However, Stubbs was bowled by a low delivery from Taijul shortly after his century. South Africa capitalized on this momentum, with de Zorzi and David Bedingham adding quick runs as they sought to make the most of the session before bad light interrupted play.

Entering the series with limited experience in subcontinental conditions, South Africa has quickly found form, with four batters in the XI now having scored centuries in the region, a promising sign for the remainder of the series.

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