The China Mail - Bangladesh hit back after South Africa start well

South Africa were 153 for three at tea after being sent in on a pitch with a liberal covering of grass.

Home captain Dean Elgar (67) and Sarel Erwee (41) put on 113 for the first wicket.

Bangladesh bowled poorly in the first hour as South Africa hurried to 60 without loss off 13 overs but tightened up after the morning drinks break.

They had to wait until after lunch before making a double breakthrough. Elgar was caught behind off Khaled Ahmed, gloving a ball which lifted sharply off a good length.

Erwee followed in the next over, driving loosely at off-spinner Mehidy Hasan and dragging the ball onto his stumps.

Bangladesh’s third wicket came from superb fielding by Mehidy, who ran out Keegan Petersen (19) after sliding to stop a drive into the covers by Temba Bavuma, then hitting the stumps with a throw from a kneeling position.

Mehidy bowled unchanged between lunch and tea, enabling Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque to rotate his three fast bowlers.

G.Tsang--ThChM