Record stand rescues Proteas

Ashwell Prince's 10th Test hundred digs South Africa out of the mire at Centurion

Ashwell Prince and Mark Boucher hit unbeaten centuries as South Africa rallied from a slow start to take command on day two of the second Test against Bangladesh in Centurion.

The tourists restricted the Proteas to 192 for five at tea thanks in part to three wickets from left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan.

But a sixth-wicket pairing of Prince and Boucher combined for 223 runs to push South Africa’s total to 357 at stumps.

The duo’s efforts set a new Proteas record for a sixth-wicket partnership, eclipsing the previous mark of 200 set by Graeme Pollock and Tiger Lance 39 years ago.

Prince’s 115, his 10th Test century, included 16 fours and a six. Wicketkeeper-batsman Boucher added 102 as the Proteas established a first-innings lead of 107 heading into the third day.

Shakib finished with figures of 3-77 after the tourists threatened to make a fight of it earlier in the afternoon, but a sterling effort by South Africa’s middle order had the hosts firmly in control by the close of play.

The hosts resumed on an overnight score of 20 for one following Neil McKenzie’s dismissal for a duck late in the final session yesterday, but failed to reach 50 before skipper Graeme Smith was out lbw for 27.

Mahbubul Alam claimed the wicket, Smith straying too far across his crease as the Bangladesh bowler’s inswinging delivery caught him on the pad in front of middle stump.

Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis guided the hosts to lunch with a 50-run third-wicket partnership but their stand was ended by Shakib early in the afternoon.

Kallis was the man to fall for 24, Shakib finding a gap between bat and pad and uprooting the batsman’s off-stump.

Amla and De Villers took the score on to 134 before the former was caught and bowled by Shakib to end a solid knock of 71, while De Villers fell for a duck just two balls later when he strayed down the track and was stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim.

Prince and Boucher calmed any developing jitters in the Proteas ranks with a solid partnership, the pair combining for 58 by the interval before taking the match away from the tourists in the final session of the day.

Prince gave the home support a few moments of concern when his march towards his ton was delayed by 17 balls when on 98, the batsman struggling with the new ball before eventually bringing up his century.

Boucher’s ton came off 158 balls - 10 more than his partner - and was an equally bustling effort, the right-hander racking up 14 boundaries on his way to his fifth Test hundred.