If Mushfiqur Rahim were thinking his harsh words following the mauling in the first Test would spur his bowlers to do well in the second Test, he was proven wrong as the Bangladesh bowlers came up with even a worse performance on the opening day of the ongoing second Test at Bloemfontein.
Rahim’s decision to bowl first turned out to be a nightmare as South Africa finished the day on a commanding 428 for 3. Even when the pitch was suitable for fast bowling during the first session, the visiting bowlers could not capitalise as Dean Elgar, and Aiden Markram scored centuries to lay the foundation for a big total. Dejected Rahim attended the press conference at the end of the play and did not hesitate in making his feelings clear.
“It [Day 1] didn’t go well. We took the decision to bowl first and there was help in the first two hours,” Mushfiqur said after the day’s play. “Our bowling wasn’t up to the standard. It was disappointing. We could have seen how they’d have bowled in this wicket on the first day. When you give away a lot of runs with the new ball, things become easier for the batsmen, when it should be the opposite.
After the 243-run stand between the openers, the visitors took three quick wickets to reduce the hosts to 288 for three, but Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis batted the Proteas to a commanding position by scoring unbeaten half-centuries. Rahim, however, is hopeful his team can make a strong comeback on day two.
“We made a comeback but it was not enough. We are on the backfoot. If we can take two early wickets, we hope to bowl them out within the next 100-150 runs,” he said.
He once again criticised the bowlers for their wayward line.
“I thought it was a good wicket to bowl on but our bowlers didn’t capitalise in those conditions. I think afterwards they came back but when you have the new ball and bowling to top-class batsmen, you need to bowl well up front,” he said.
“We leaked a lot of runs in the first session. When it was up, they knocked the ball straight down the ground. When they tried to bowl back, it was too short. We couldn’t find the right line and length, which hurt us a lot. I think they tried, and at times they bowled well in short spells,” he added.
A disappointed Rahim took the blame on himself for his team’s horror show this time around.
“I think it was my mistake to win the toss. I have been trying to do everything honestly for the last 12 years. But in these last two games it seems it’d been better had I lost the toss. I think it is my personal failure. I am not able to motivate my players or guide my bowlers,” Mushfiqur said.