Bangladesh were bowled out for a low total of 106 and also took six South Africa wickets later as the opening day of the first Test match saw the fall of 16 wickets and plenty of action from bowlers in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Monday.
The Proteas finished the day on 140 for six in 41 overs and took a crucial 34-run lead in the first innings with four wickets in hand with Wiaan Mulder and Kyle Verreynne not out on 17 and 18 respectively.
Left-arm-spinner Taijul Islam was brilliant with the ball as he claimed his 13th five-wicket haul and also crossed the 200-wicket milestone in his Test career.
Taijul, playing in his 48th Test, has become only the second Bangladeshi to achieve the feat after Shakib al Hasan (246 wickets in 71 matches).
Earlier, Bangladesh captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bat first.
Bangladesh went for an extra batter in their playing XI as Jaker Ali Anik made his Test debut.
Bangladesh selected three specialist spinners and eight batsmen in their playing XI, including all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz.
But the South African bowlers outplayed the Tigers in the first session.
Bangladesh batters looked shaky and less confident against controlled bowling from the Proteas.
Bangladesh lost six wickets in the first session scoring just sixty runs as Shadman Islam (nought), Mominul Haque (four), Shanto (seven), Mushfiqur Rahim (11), Liton Das (one) and Miraz (13) went back to the pavilion.
Debutant Jaker was not able to do anything special as he got stumped for two off 15 deliveries.
Eventually, Bangladesh were bowled out in just 40.1 overs, which was a disappointing effort overall after opting to bat first.
Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy was the top-scorer with 30 off 97 balls while Taijul made 16.
Kagiso Rabada, Mulder and Keshav Maharaj bagged three wickets each while Dane Piedt took the remaining one.
Rabada crossed the 300-wicket milestone in Tests.
He became the fastest bowler to notch 300 Test wickets in terms of total number of balls bowled.
Rabada bowled 11,817 balls officially (in 65 Tests), leapfrogging Pakistan’s Waqar Younis (12,602 deliveries bowled in 65 Tests) while his fellow countrymen Dale Steyn (12,605 balls bowled in 61 Tests) is third and Allan Donald (13,672 balls bowled in 63 Tests) fourth on the list.
1ST TEST, DAY 1
Bangladesh 106 in 40.1 overs (Joy 30, Mulder 3/22) trail South Africa 140/6 in 41 overs (De Zorzi 30, Taijul 5/49) by 34 runs