Second Test preview: Bangladesh v SA

The forecast for the second Test between Bangladesh and South Africa in Dhaka looks similar to the wash-out in Chittagong last week, but Dale Steyn will hope he has enough time to take just one wicket.

The Proteas' paceman needs just that one scalp to reach the 400 mark in Test cricket, just the second South Africa bowler to do so, behind Shaun Pollock. The rain scuppered his chances in Chittagong.

While day one will likely see most of the overs bowled, the weekend does not look promising, but weather reports are as mercurial as…well… the weather, so both sets of players will be eager to get time in the middle, with frustration clear in pre-game interviews.

Neither team has anything to worry about in terms of injuries, with the hosts naming an unchanged squad from the one that secured their first ever draw against the Proteas.

The Proteas are also likely to stick with the team they had in the first game, with no-one really getting a chance to shine. The pacemen toiled hard though, with Morne Morkel going wicketless, but it'll be a huge call to replace him with uncapped Kagiso Rabada.

South Africa's top order will want to avoid a collapse again, with Quinton de Kock just not finding his feet this year yet, after an ankle injury before the World Cup saw him lose his rhythm. Could Dane Vilas get a go in QdK's place? Rumours suggest yes.

Key Men

For the hosts, they will again look to rookie paceman Mustafizur Rahman, who was the pick of all the bowlers in Chittagong. He took four wickets in the first innings, on debut, and like in the ODIs, the visitors seemed fairly clueless against him.

The Proteas need their bowlers to come good here. This deck is a bit better for pace bowling than the first Test's was, so Dale Steyn will really want to show that he's back in form, silly headband notwithstanding.

Last Five Head-To-Head Results

2015 First Test: Match drawn in Chittagong
2008 Second Test: South Africa won by an innings and 48 runs in Centurion
2008 First Test: South Africa won by an innings and 129 runs in Bloemfontein
2008 Second Test: South Africa won by an innings and 205 runs in Chittagong
2008 First Test: South Africa won by five wickets in Dhaka

Squads

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Jubair Hossain, Litton Das, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Shahid, Mominul Haque, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Shakib-al-Hasan, Taijul Islam

South Africa: Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Simon Harmer, Reeza Hendricks, Morne Morkel, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas

Dates: 30 July-3 August
Morning session: 09:30-11:30 (05:30-7:30 SAST)
Afternoon session: 12:10-14:10 (08:10-10:10 SAST)
Evening session: 14:30-16:30 (10:30-12:30 SAST)

On-field umpires: Joel Wilson and Paul Reiffel
Third umpire: Richard Kettleborough
Match referee: Chris Broad