Yesterday Bangladesh fans breathed a little easier when Tamim Iqbal donned the pads and took to the Senwes Park nets for the first time since sustaining a thigh injury in their tour game. Today, it looked like the other piece of the opening puzzle is falling into place as Soumya Sarkar was among the first batch of batsmen to bat in the nets.

Soumya, according to the physio Thihan Chandramohan, had jarred his shoulder while fielding in the tour game in Benoni. Although he is back in the nets, with just a day between today and the first Test against South Africa starting here on Thursday, there may be a way to go yet for Soumya to be match fit. Unlike Tamim, Soumya took no part in the warm-ups and the throwing exercises. He threw a few balls gingerly at Chandramohan, but that was about it.

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In the nets too, he was batting against the slower bowlers while three of his teammates faced the fast men in the adjoining nets.

Tomorrow, the eve of the Test, may well be the last opportunity for the left-hander to prove his full fitness.

All other players seemed fit, as the full complement of fast bowlers were bowling in full flow at the spicy wickets of the Senwes Park nets.