The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful has said they have still a fair chance to do well against South Africa if "our bowlers" could perform to their best.

"We didn't bat well on the day, but on this pitch 192 is a dependable total," he said at a post-match press briefing at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Friday.

The youthful Bangladesh captain said: "We won the toss, but could not utilize the opportunity as we lost wickets at regular intervals."

He added: "All credit goes to the bowlers as they brought us back in the match taking four important wickets."

South Africa coach Mickey Arthur expressed satisfaction over the performance by his bowlers, but seemed a little worried with the batsmen.

"The bowlers bowled well, but the batsmen failed to give us a good start," he said, but did not fail to praise the local bowlers.

Arthur said they have still six batsmen in hand and if they would able to score three hundred on the pitch, it should be a competitive target.

South Africa v Bangladesh first Test scoreboard

Scoreboard at stumps on the opening day of the first cricket Test between Bangladesh and South Africa at the Sher-e-Bangla Mirpur stadium here on Friday:

Bangladesh 1st innings:

Tamim Iqbal c and b Steyn 0

Junaid Siddique c Boucher b Steyn 1

Shahriar Nafees c Smith b Morkel 25

Habibul Bashar c Mckenzie b Morkel 11

Mohammad Ashraful c and b Botha 34

Aftab Ahmed c Ntini b Botha 44

Shakib Al Hasan c de Villiers b Morkel 30

Mushfiqur Rahim b Morkel 7

Mohammad Rafique lbw b Morkel 0

Mashrafe Mortaza b Steyn 29

Shahadat Hossain not out 0

Extras: (lb4, b2, w2, nb3) 11

Total (all out) 192

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Iqbal), 2-3 (Siddique), 3-32 (Bashar), 4-60 (Nafees), 5-82 (Ashraful), 6-152 (Ahmed), 7-152 (Hasan), 8-152 (Rafique), 9-192 (Rahim), 10-192 (Mortaza)

Bowling: Steyn 11.4-2-27-3, Ntini 13-2-47-0 (w2),

Morkel 13-2-50-5 (nb3), Kallis 5-2-5-0, Botha 12-0-57-2

Overs: 54.4

South Africa 1st innings:

N. Mckenzie lbw b Hossain 5

G. Smith b Hossain 10

H. Amla lbw b Rafique 25

J. Kallis b Rafique 17

A. Prince not out 9

J. Botha not out 5

Extras: (lb2, nb3) 5

Total (for four wickets) 76

Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Smith), 2-19 (Mckenzie), 3-54 (Amla), 4-69 (Kallis).

Bowling: Mortaza 5-0-31-0, Hossain 9-4-17-2 (nb2), Rafique 7-1-19-2 (nb1), Shakib Al Hasan 3-1-7-0.

Overs: 24