Debutant Lizaad Williams produced a peach of a delivery to dislodge Liton Das in the very first over after Lunch on Day 3 of the first Test in Durban today.

South Africa captain Dean Elgar opted not to take the new ball immediately as Williams struck, with an inswinger that went through the gap between Liton's bat and pad in the 80th over, four deliveries before the cherry was available.

Liton departed after an eye-pleasing 41 off 92 balls, striking six boundaries, and with him ended a crucial 82-run stand between the wicket-keeper batter and opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy.  

Yasir Ali joins Joy, batting on 88, in the middle as Bangladesh are 195 for six after 83 overs, still trailing by 172 runs.

Joy-Liton stand allows Tigers feel ground beneath feet

Bangladesh would be more than relieved to see off the opening session of Day 3 of the first Test with just losing a single wicket in Durban today.

Even though night-watchman Taskin Ahmed departed early in the day but the Tigers clawed their way out from 101 for five after Taskin got out, courtesy of wicket-keeper Liton Das and overnight batter Mahmudul Hasan Joy.

Bangladesh are 184 for five after 79 overs and trail by 184 runs at lunch, with Joy batting on 80 and Liton on 41. 

Liton and Joy have showed great determination and courage in their unbeaten 82-run stand off 169 deliveries and with Liton driving Keshav Maharaj towards the long off for a single, Joy and Liton had brought up their fifty partnership in quick time, off 78 balls.  

Liton in action. Photo: AFP

Earlier, however, Joy did get a life while batting on 64 as the short leg fielder dropped a difficult catch which demanded reflex action, and Harmer was denied a five-wicket haul.

Harmer was adamant though and came close to a fifer, again, but this time Liton saved himself with a review, which showed the ball had clipped his thigh pads and thus overturning umpire Marais Erasmus' caught-behind decision. Liton had given a half-chance, after getting life on 16, to their Proteas as his flick fell low and short of the fielder at leg slip. 

When Joy smashed Maharaj with a square cut for a boundary and reached 78, he achieved the highest score by a Bangladesh batter against the Proteas in Tests by surpassing Mominul Haque's 77 in Potchefstroom in 2017.  

Joy frees his arms. Photo: AFP

Joy reaches fifty, Liton showing promise

Despite living somewhat dangerously, Bangladesh batters are well approaching their landmark to avoid follow-on in the Day 3's morning session of the Durban Test today.

The Tigers are 142 for five after 63 overs, still trailing by a whopping 225 runs, needing to score 168 to avoid the possibility of a follow-on.  

The Proteas started day's play from where they had left off yesterday. Debutant Lizaad Williams took his maiden Test wicket as night-watchman Taskin Ahmed (1) edged the right-arm pacer's short-of-good-length delivery into the slips, where Wiaan Mulder clutched the ball in the second attempt.

Lizaad Williams is being congratulated by his teammates after the debutant scalped his first Test wicket. Photo: AFP

In-form Liton Das arrived at the crease and opened his mark after facing six deliveries. In style, Liton effortlessly pulled Duanne Oliver for a scrumptious boundary and followed it up with an exquisite cover drive off the backfoot, again, to send Tiger Shoaib and rest of the Bangladesh supporters at the Kingsmead Stadium into raptures.  

Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who resumed the day on 44, had looked a bit shaky, showing indecisiveness in his stroke play and lacking timing among other things. The youngster, playing only his third Test, had almost nicked a rising Olivier delivery to the wicketkeeper early in the day.

Joy in action. Photo: AFP

The Tigers, aiming to first reach the 168-run landmark to avoid follow-on, would thank their lucky stars as South Africa captain Dean Elgar dropped a regulation catch at first slip after Williams got Liton, batting on 16, to edge a good length delivery.  

Joy greeted Simon Harmer, star of Day 2, with a straight drive for a boundary, his fifth so far, to bring up the second fifty of his career. Joy played as many as 170 balls to reach the landmark, a demonstration of grit and determination. Joy let himself loose after fifty as he danced down the track to hit Harmer for a six over long on.