The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Honours were evenly shared as South Africa were staggering at 76 for four wickets in their first innings when the stumps were drawn on the first day of the first test of the Warid Test Series at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur here on Friday.

Earlier, Bangladesh, electing to bat, were bundled out for 192 in their first innings just after tea.

The debacle behind Bangladesh batting was due to superb bowling by South African pacers---Morne Morkel with five for 50 and Dale Steyn with two for 27. The right-arm South African spinner Johan Botha joined the bowling feast with two for 57. Aftab Ahmed topscored with 44 runs.

Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafee Bin Mortaza and Shahriar Nafees-all made their start but failed to prolong their innings.

After the initial spade work done by South African bowlers, the visitors now looked towards their openers to provide them a flying start enabling them to take the driving seat from the very first day of the match.

But the Bangladesh bowlers were in no mood to bow without any fight. Especially, the tall right-arm pacer Shahadat Hossain, who bowled his heart out, sent the Proteas wobbling at 19 for two wickets.

Both South African openers skipper Graeme Smith and McKenzie fell to Shahadat. First, Smith dragged an incoming delivery to his stumps for 11 and McKenzie, who hardly could settle down, was trapped in front of the wicket for five. Shahadat also had a close appeal turned down.

In-form South African batsmen Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis stopped the rot with an important 35-run partnership. It looked that South Africa got themselves out of troubled waters. But 37- year-old left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique playing in his last test series was waiting to weave his magic web to take the Shahadat's queue.

First, the prized scalp of Kallis by Rafique saw holiday crowd go berserk. Kallis trying to play Rafique by exposing his stump was bowled by a ball keeping rather low for 17.

Hashim Amla was shaping well but was beaten by Rafique's guile as he was trapped in front of the wicket for 25.

Prince and nightwatchman Botha managed to keep their wickets intact as bad light stopped play with eight overs of the day remaining.

Bangladesh skipper Ashraful won the toss and elected to bat first. But South African pacer Steyn dealt a double blow by removing Tamim Iqbal for a duck in the first ball and in his next over in-form Junaide Siddique, who slammed a century against South Africa in the three-day practice match, for one run.

Former captain Habibul Bashar playing his 50th test for Bangladesh could not enjoy the historic moment by playing a wretched shot to be out for 11.

Shahriar Nafees got out when he looked to have weathered the early storm for 25 with Bangladesh score showing 60 for four.

Skipper Ashraful came at the wicket ready to play all his shots not bothered that they have lost four wickets. He played some glorious shots all around the wicket in his 27-ball 34 studded with seven glittering boundaries.

He looked in great touch hitting superb cover drives, square drives, pulls and a brilliant hook shot. His aggressive mood made him pay for his carefree batting as he was caught and bowled by Botha whom he have struck two boundaries in a row.

A 70-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Aftab and Shakib saw Bangladesh give some hope of prolonging their innings but Aftab cutting his aggressive attitude finally played a lofted shot to be dismissed by Botha caught by Ntini for 44 runs staying at the crease for 127 minutes.

Losing his cool, Shakib (30) also followed him on the same score being the victim of Morkel.

Rafique also fell on the same total for a duck adjudged LBW, a very poor decision given by umpire Steve Bucknor when the batsman had edged the ball to his pad.

Bangladesh from 152 for five collapsed to 152 for eight.

Mashrafee playing a gallant knock of 29, saw Bangladesh bowl out for 192 runs.

After the match, Ashraful said tomorrow's (Saturday) first session will be crucial. If his bowler can strike early, they will have the chance to dismiss them cheaply while South African camp still believes they have the possibility to take score past 300 mark.