Muhammad Manack was a shining light on a difficult day two for SA Emerging in the second and decisive four-day match against Bangladesh Emerging in Dhaka.
The opener hit a half-century but everyone else struggled around him as the tourists reached stumps on 152-6. This after allowing the hosts’ tail to wag earlier on with the last three wickets adding 131.
Rakibul Hasan hit 31, Ripon Mondol made 43 and Mehedi Hasan struck an unbeaten 44, allowing the hosts to move from their precarious overnight score of 242-7 to a more dominant 371 all out.
By the close of day two, the South Africans trailed by 219 with only four wickets remaining in a match that will determine the winner of the series.
Having started out in a strong position on Wednesday, the visiting bowlers failed to get the last three Bangladesh wickets quickly enough.
Hasan and Mondol first added 45 for the eighth wicket, before the latter put on an even better 67 with Mehedi for the ninth wicket.
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When the hosts were eventually dismissed in 121.4 overs, Andile Mogakane finished as the best of the bowlers with 4-42, with Tshepo Ntuli bagging 3-108.
The SA innings began relatively well thanks to Manack (54 off 95 balls; eight fours), Meeka-eel Prince (17) and Romashan Pillay (29). The first two wickets put on 48 apiece, which took the score to 96-1 at one stage.
But wickets fell regularly from there. Manack was bowled by Hasan (2-63), who also got Mogakane (20) later on, and the other Bangladesh batting star Mondol (2-35) also bagged two wickets, those of Richard Seletswane (19) and Dewan Marais (five), leaving the visitors on the back foot by the close.
