SA reach 65-2 at Tea after Tigers bowled out for 106

South Africa made a cautious start to reach 65-2 at tea on Day 1 of the first cricket Test against Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.

The Proteas are now trailing by 41 as Bangladesh were wrapped up for just 106 in its first innings, shortly after the lunch session.

Pacer Hasan Mahmud and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took one wicket apiece but South Africa’s inexperienced batting line up overall looked not so troubled.

Mahmud gave the side a breakthrough in the first over when he rattled the stump of South Africa’s stand-in captain Aiden Markram who made 6.

Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs then shared 44-run for the second wicket before Taijul broke through with the wicket of the latter.

Stubbs who looked comfortable in his brief stay was unsettled by a delivery that turned sharply past him. He sent the ball across the ropes for four times to hit 23 off 27.

At the second interval of the day, Zorzi was batting with 19 with David Bedingham on 9.

Earlier, the Tigers, as it was adorably called, could survive just one and half session (or little less than three hours) after captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and opted to bat first.

The South African fast bowlers utilized the early moisture of the pitch to good effect to leave the hosts in a troublesome situation.

Wiaan Mulder claimed 3-22 and Kagiso Rabada returned figures of 3-26 as the visitors sliced through Bangladesh batting line up with such ease that hardly anyone could ponder ahead of the Test. They were well backed up left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj who also took three wickets.

Mulder took the first three wickets in each of his first three overs to put Bangladesh in early trouble and then there was no respite for them.

The rot began with the dismissal of Shadman Islam who played a needless shot against a delivery that moved away to edge to the second slip for a duck.

Mominul Haque (4) nicked a delivery behind the wicket while Shanto flicked straight to short mid-off after scoring 7, leaving Bangladesh at precarious 21-3.

Rabada got in to act, rattling the stump of veteran Mushfiqur Rahim (11) for his 300th wicket in Test cricket. In doing so, he became the sixth South African bowler to achieve the feat.

The situation got worsened for the hosts, when Rabada swung a delivery to get the better of Liton Das, caught at gully for 1.

On the stroke of lunch, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj joined the party, trapping Mehidy Hasan Miraz leg-before for 13.

Opener Mahmudul Hasan, who battled throughout the morning session, was the first victim in the post-lunch session.

He made team-best 30 off 97 with two fours and one six before Dane Piedt bowled him out for his only wicket in the innings.

Maharaj then had debutant Jaker Ali Anik stumped for 2 as Bangladesh were reduced to 76-8 and were in danger of being all out below 100.

Taijul Islam’s 16 runs helped them go past 100 but Maharaj and Rabada shared the last two wickets to ensure South Africa would bowl Bangladesh out cheaply. (BSS)