Bangladesh would be disappointed with how the first session of the first Test went after the Tigers chose to field first against hosts South Africa in Durban.

And to rub salt into the Tigers' wounds, at the stroke of lunch, wicket-keeper Liton Das ended up dropping Sarel Erwee, batting at 32, who nicked a Mehedi Miraz delivery turning away from the left-hander.

The Proteas are 95 for naught after 25 overs of play, with captain Dean Elgar, leading from the front, having hit ten boundaries on his way to scoring 60 off just 76 balls. Elgar reached his fifty off 60 balls while his opening partner Erwee played the second fiddle well, on 32 from as many deliveries.

Dean Elgar raises his bat after scoring fifty. Photo: AFP

The Tigers resumed well following the drinks break, showing more consistency in line and length. However, they could only bowl two maiden overs, for instance, that shows their struggle in the first session.

Ebadot Hossain started well but went for a beating in his latter overs as he gave away 39 runs in seven overs. Miraz has been the most economical of the lot, conceding nine runs from his four overs so far, and would consider himself unlucky to not have scalped one.      

Hosts reach fifty quick as visitors search for bowling rhythm

South Africa opening batters Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee have played a compact game after Bangladesh asked the hosts to bat first in the first Test of the two-match series in Durban today.

The Proteas have scored at a brisk pace so far, and are 60 for naught after 13 overs at drinks break, with Elgar approaching a run-a-ball fifty and Erwee batting on 13. The Tigers pace attack have largely been inconsistent with their execution as they failed to build any significant pressure.

Taskin Ahmed opened the bowling and straightaway gifted a full-toss to South Africa captain Dean Elgar, who gave the ball its deserving treatment for a boundary. Taskin, the star of the ODI series for the Tigers, came back immediately though to strike Elgar high in the pads in the third delivery.  

Ebadot, one of the chief architects behind Bangladesh's first Test win in New Zealand, partnered Taskin from the other end with the cherry and generated a fair bit of bounce and movement from the pitch from the onset.  

Ebadot in action at the Kingsmead. Photo: AFP

Skipper Elgar looked in superb touch as he played a lovely check-shot down the ground in Taskin's second over and the quickness of the outfield was on display as Khaled Ahmed, pacer Shoriful Islam's replacement, was left frustrated after chasing the ball all the way to the boundary line.

Before Khaled was introduced in the ninth over, with the Proteas at 25 for naught, Ebadot looked like the probable bowler to draw the first blood for the Tigers, however, both Ebadot and Taskin's length has been on the shorter side to extract maximum purchase from the Kingsmead surface.

Bangladesh to bowl first in Durban with Tamim missing out 
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Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque has won the toss and decided to bowl first in the first of the two-match Test series against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban today, however, Tamim Iqbal will have to wait further to make his much-awaited comeback in the longest format after a stomach ache in the morning earlier ruled him out of this Test. 

The two captains at the toss. Photo: Twitter

Bangladesh arrive into the Test series against the Proteas on the back of historic victories – maiden ODI series win in South Africa, preceded by maiden Test win in New Zealand -- away from home. Mominul Haque his troops could not have asked for a better momentum ahead of the red-ball challenge against a strong Proteas side, who are missing their regular fast bowlers due to Indian Premier League (IPL) involvement.

The Tigers have only one change from the eleven that featured in the Mount Maunganui Test in New Zealand, with pacer Khaled Ahmed replacing another quick Shoriful Islam, who has suffered a minor injury of late and has been kept out of the side as a precautionary measure, according to BCB physio Bayezidul Islam Khan. 

Bangladesh XI: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Najmul Shanto, Mominul Haque (C), Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (wk), Yasir Ali, Mehedi Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed

South Africa XI: Dean Elgar (C), Sarel Erwee, Kegan Petersen, Temba Bavuma, Ryan Rickleton, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Lizaad Williams, Duanne Olivier