In the second Test match, South Africa’s batters, Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs, firmly took control during the post-lunch session on Day 1 against Bangladesh, building a strong partnership that left the home side struggling for breakthroughs. Throughout the session, Bangladesh’s bowlers worked hard but couldn’t manage a single wicket, allowing South Africa to progress smoothly. By the time the Tea break arrived, the visitors had reached 205/1, with de Zorzi achieving his maiden Test century and Stubbs supporting him with an unbeaten half-century.
Tony de Zorzi’s maiden century put Bangladesh on the back foot during the second Test’s opening day. His composed innings, alongside an unbeaten fifty from Tristan Stubbs, saw South Africa dominate the post-lunch session without losing a wicket. De Zorzi quickly reached his half-century before accelerating toward his hundred, hitting timely boundaries to keep the pressure on Bangladesh’s bowlers. Despite a few close calls and a missed DRS review, Bangladesh couldn’t break the partnership, allowing South Africa to reach 205/1 by Tea. Now, Bangladesh faces a tough challenge to regain control in the final session.
After lunch, de Zorzi quickly settled in, confidently reaching his half-century as Bangladesh found it hard to create wicket-taking opportunities. The session’s opening hours saw the run rate slowing, giving Bangladesh a glimmer of hope that they might contain South Africa’s advance. However, Stubbs soon broke the lull, finding a boundary through cover off Hasan Mahmud, a shot that seemed to inject momentum back into the innings. Mahmud tried to create some pressure, even managing to find de Zorzi’s outside edge, but the ball frustratingly fell short of the first slip, denying Bangladesh the crucial breakthrough they needed.
The steady partnership kept Bangladesh under pressure, with de Zorzi and Stubbs not only accumulating runs but also keeping the scoreboard ticking. De Zorzi managed his first boundary of the post-lunch session after the drinks break, playing a well-executed reverse sweep. This shot was followed by boundaries from both batters off Mehidy Hasan, taking their partnership past the century mark. Bangladesh, trying to get de Zorzi out, wasted a DRS review, adding to their mounting frustration as they failed to dislodge South Africa’s batters.
Shortly after this, Stubbs decided to accelerate, charging down the track to loft Mehidy for a six straight down the ground. With confidence growing at the crease, de Zorzi joined in by launching Taijul Islam over deep midwicket, moving himself closer to the landmark of his first Test century. As de Zorzi approached the milestone, he kept his composure, reaching his ton in style. Just before the Tea interval, de Zorzi swept Mehidy for a four, bringing up his maiden Test hundred off just 146 balls—a significant achievement in what was turning out to be a dominant day for South Africa.
For Bangladesh, the session highlighted several missed opportunities and frustrations. While they did come close to breaking the partnership at times, South Africa’s batters showed discipline, effectively neutralizing Bangladesh’s attack. With no wickets in the session, the home side ended the second session in a less-than-ideal position. Their bowlers, who had been reasonably economical earlier, now faced the challenge of maintaining pressure and finding breakthroughs as South Africa edged toward a commanding first-innings score.
As they headed into the final session, Bangladesh needed to regroup quickly. Their primary challenge was to find a way through South Africa’s solid partnership, with de Zorzi and Stubbs both in excellent form. The evening session was crucial, as a few quick wickets would give Bangladesh a chance to fight back on what had been a difficult first day. However, if South Africa continued their march as they did after lunch, the visitors could very well secure a substantial lead, further tightening their grip on the match.
The post-lunch phase underscored South Africa’s early dominance in the Test, showcasing de Zorzi’s talent and Stubbs’ ability to play a supportive role while still scoring effectively. With Bangladesh’s spinners and pacers unable to generate significant breakthroughs, the session unfolded as a one-sided display in favor of the visitors.
