Chastised Tigers regain some ground

Although they regained some ground, Bangladesh continued to be outclassed by South Africa as the hosts seized a stranglehold on the first Test after the second day's play at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom yesterday. After the inexplicable decision on Thursday to win the toss and bowl first on a flat track, Bangladesh could only take three South African wickets as the hosts declared their innings on 496 -- powered by Dean Elgar's 199 and Hashim Amla's 137 -- during the tea break, and Bangladesh were reduced to 127 for three in response, 369 runs behind.

The batsmen at the close were Tamim Iqbal – batting at number five for the first time in his career – on 22 and Mominul Haque on 28.

Tamim ended the day with positive intent by hitting left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj for a huge six over long on off the last ball of the day. Although the end was positive, it was a day that must have left Bangladesh chastised after their toothless toil in the field.

It seemed to be a clever declaration on the part of Faf du Plessis as Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal, who came into the game having just recovered from a thigh muscle injury, was off the field for 49 minutes before the tea interval. The declaration meant that Tamim could not open the innings for the first time in his 52-Test career nor bat until 49 minutes had elapsed in Bangladesh's innings, therefore exposing Liton Das – who had kept wickets for 146 overs -- to the makeshift openers' role. According to Elgar, speaking after the day's play, it was not a deliberate tactic with the absence of Bangladesh's highest run-scorer in mind. Elgar said that the declaration had been on the hosts' mind since lunch, which they reached on 411 for one, but tight bowling from Bangladesh forced them to hold off till tea, when Elgar said they would have ideally liked to have a few more runs. 

There is precedence, however, of such a tactic being used by Du Plessis to wrong-foot the opposition -- he did the same to Australia opener David Warner in the day-night Adelaide Test in November 2016. If that was indeed the intention – perhaps Elgar did not want to reveal the thought process of the team -- with Bangladesh cantering along at a good run rate, the declaration could be said to have borne mixed results for South Africa as they did make early inroads. Regardless, it showed an eagerness to create chances on a flat wicket, which was missing for large parts of Bangladesh's performance on the field. 

After Imrul Kayes was bounced out by Kagiso Rabada in the sixth over for seven, Liton fished outside off stump to edge Morne Morkel to Hashim Amla at first slip in the 49th minute of the innings for 25. But it was skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, and not Tamim, who walked out with the score reading 36 for two.

Mushfiqur started with aggressive intent against the pacers, opening his account with a scorching cut off Morkel. However, the Bangladesh captain did enjoy his fair share of fortune as he was dropped at slip twice off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj when he was on six and 15. The skipper hit a few more cut shots and a trademark slog-swept six off the unlucky bowler, but Maharaj had his revenge in the 26th over when Mushfiqur's defensive prod took the edge onto his front pad and was caught at short leg. The skipper scored a 57-ball 44 with seven fours and a six but Bangladesh probably needed more than that and the 67-run third-wicket stand with Mominul. 

Tamim and a sure-footed Mominul then carried the team to close of play without further damage. Mominul hit some eye-catching on-drives and displayed his organised game, playing within his limits close to his body. It will be imperative for the visitors' sake that these two continue for at least a session more today if Bangladesh are to fight in this Test.

Earlier, that Bangladesh's best session of the match was one in which South Africa scored 85 for the loss of two wickets in 29 overs revealed the extent of the Proteas' dominance. After an insipid morning session which saw Amla reach his 27th Test century faced with field settings resembling the middle overs of an ODI innings and a few overs from part-time spinner Mahmudullah Riyad, Bangladesh emerged with fresh tactics in the second session. But it was a mixture of luck and good planning that gave Shafiul Islam the prized wicket, which also happened to be the 70,000 th Test wicket for those who care, as Amla leaden-footedly slashed at a wide delivery to Mehedi Hasan Miraz at a close backward point. That ended a 215-run second-wicket stand with Elgar and produced the first wicket by a Bangladesh bowler in the 118th over with the score on 411.

There were no more part-timers in the second session as the Tigers turned the screws on new man Temba Bavuma. While it was puzzling why this approach was not taken in the first session when the bowlers were at their freshest, but the next 12.5 overs after Amla's dismissal produced just 28 runs as  tight fields kept even Elgar quiet. It produced a wicket when the left-handed opener, looking for the release just one short of his maiden double-ton, top-edged a pull off Mustafizur Rahman in the 131st over with the score on 445. He had played 388 balls for his 199 with 15 boundaries and three sixes.

After that Du Plessis and Bavuma took the team to tea without further damage and it seemed that there was at least one more hour of toil for Bangladesh, but Du plessis rolled the dice keeping the flat wicket, if not the instability caused by Tamim's absence, in mind. It will be interesting to see where it lands today.