Batting-wise it was like the Chittagong Test revisited for the Tigers. A number of batsmen got the starts, settled in the middle but failed to convert those into big ones as South Africa took away the home side's early initiatives on the opening day of the second and final Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

The umpires took off the bails for the day soon after Dale Steyn, who became the joint second-quickest bowler to 400 Test wickets in terms of matches and the quickest in terms of deliveries, knocked down the stumps of Mohammad Shahid with Bangladesh slumping to 246 for 8 from a comfortable 180 for 3.

After Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim had won the toss and decided to bat under brilliant sunshine, the home team's batsmen promised a lot, only to suffer premature demises following some poor shot selections on a pitch that offered turn and bounce.

Eight wickets have fallen but the dismissal of skipper Mushfiqur, who made a half-century after ten innings, was the costliest for the Tigers. The little right-hander looked in good touch as he played the sweep shots with ease and perfectly came down the track to negotiate the ball until he trudged back to the dressing room shaking his head in utter disappointment after his appeal for a review against a caught behind decision was turned down.

Dean Elgar's ball turned away sharply and the umpire raised his finger judging that it had kissed Mushfiqur's gloves. The replay showed a tiny spike on the Snicko but it was hardly conclusive whether it was because of the bottom of his bat hitting the ground or kissing the gloves, so the on-field umpire's call stayed and Mushfiqur's innings ended on 65 that came from 125 balls and was laced with seven sweetly-timed boundaries.

Two excellent partnerships -- 69 runs between Mominul Haque and Imrul Kayes for the second wicket and 94 runs between Mahmudullah Riyad and Mushfiqur for the fourth wicket -- provided the platform for the home team to put pressure on their opponents on a tricky surface. Although most of the batsmen played patiently they still paid the price for poor shot selection.

Imrul misjudged the length of a very good delivery from Jean-Paul Duminy that ended his patient 93-ball 30, but there was no answer to why Tamim Iqbal chased a wide delivery from Steyn and edged a simple catch to Hashim Amla at slip only to become the landmark 400th victim of one of the greatest modern day fast bowlers.

Bangladesh went for lunch at 75 for one with Mominul looking composed, but the left-hander's injudicious back-foot cut gave Duminy his first of two quick wickets and the Proteas a major breakthrough. He scored an 87-ball 40.

Mushfiqur joined Mahmudullah to repair the damages and both looked solid as the Tigers went for tea at 154 for three, but the latter's sluggish flick against Steyn landed at short midwicket, ending his innings on 35 after 91 balls.

Then it was Litton Das, who made his maiden fifty in the Chittagong Test, who departed after playing a premeditated sweep shot against a quicker ball from Duminy that turned and bounced sharply to get the batsman's leading edge straight to short midwicket. Shakib Al Hasan, on 35, had no answer to a beautiful and probably the best delivery of the day from Morne Morkel that squared the batsman up.

Steyn finished the day with three wickets. Duminy also picked up three to usher hopes for the Bangladesh spinners including leg-spinner Jubair Hossain.