FILE - Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi shared a sensational 201-run partnership on day one of the second Test against Bangladesh. Picture: Randy Brooks / AFP
Proteas batters Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs slapped the Bangladesh bowlers to all parts to record their maiden Test centuries on the first day of the second and final Test in Chattogram on Tuesday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Proteas ended the day on 307/2 after bad light took the players off the field with nine overs left still left to be bowled.
Test centuries have been few and far between for the Proteas for a long time now, but De Zorzi and Stubbs feasted on the Bangladesh bowlers on the notoriously flat deck at the the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium to score the Proteas’ fourth and fifth centuries of 2024.
Before the match, only Aiden Markram (against India at Newlands) David Bedinham (against New Zealand away) and wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne (in the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka) had managed to get to the three-figure mark in six Tests this year.
But what is more remarkable, is that the last time two or more South Africans scored a century in the same innings came against the same opponents in October 2017 in Bloemfontein, when Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram and Hashim Amla all scored tons in an innings and 254-run win.
De Zorzi finished the day unbeaten on 141 from 211 balls, after battling cramp and dehydration on a hot and humid day. Goodness knows where he found the energy towards the end of the day, after playing a few shots against the weary Bangladesh bowlers.
After left-arm spinner Taijul Islam claimed the wicket of captain Markram (33) with the score in 69, De Zorzi and Stubbs put on a massive 201-run partnership.
1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ 𝐅![CDATA[]]>𝐎![CDATA[]]>𝐑 𝐅![CDATA[]]>𝐎![CDATA[]]>𝐑 𝐓![CDATA[]]>𝐑![CDATA[]]>𝐈![CDATA[]]>𝐒![CDATA[]]>𝐓![CDATA[]]>𝐀![CDATA[]]>𝐍 𝐒![CDATA[]]>𝐓![CDATA[]]>𝐔![CDATA[]]>𝐁![CDATA[]]>𝐁![CDATA[]]>𝐒
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 29, 2024
It's ANOTHER Test century for South Africa 🤩
📺 Stream #BANvSA on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/8Xi87Vi257
Both players played with controlled aggression, defending well, before transferring the pressure back onto the bowlers with by going over the top and playing conventional and reverse sweeps.
De Zorzi brought up his maiden Test ton off 146 deliveries by sweeping Mehidy Hasan Miraz through square leg for a boundary. Stubbs got to his first century with a back-foot drive to deep cover.
Taijul, however, broke the stand just after tea when he bowled Stubbs (106), who played back to a delivery that kept slightly low.
De Zorzi, who hit 10 fours and three sixes in his knock, will resume the Proteas’ innings alongside David Bedingham, who raced to 18 off just 25 balls after he smacked two sixes towards the end of the days play.
@JohnGoliath82