Bangladesh spinners restrict South Africa

CHITTAGONG - South Africa lost two wickets in three balls in the post-lunch session to squander a decent start as the tourists reached 165 for three at tea on the opening day of the first test against Bangladesh in Chittagong on Tuesday. Cruising at 136-1 after opener Stiaan van Zyle (34) was dismissed in the morning, South Africa lost Dean Elgar (47) and Faf du Plessis (48) to left-arm spinners to find themselves on the brink of collapse. Skipper Hashim Amla had moved on to nine at lunch with Temba Bavuma (20) at the other end after the tourists opted to bat in the opener of the two-test series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Van Zyl hit Mohammad Shahid for two boundaries in the first over to signal his positive intent but fell to an innocuous Mahmudullah delivery, tickling a ball sliding down the leg side into the gloves of wicketkeeper Litton Das. Elgar and Du Plessis built on the 58-run opening stand to take South Africa past the 100-mark, regularly finding boundaries and rarely looking in discomfort in their 82-run partnership. However, spinner Taijul Islam was introduced and separated them when Elgar nicked a delivery behind, with Das swivelling to take the catch at the second attempt. Like Elgar, Du Plessis also missed out on a half-century, trapped leg-before by a Shakib Al Hasan delivery that kept low and did not turn. Bangladesh put up a more disciplined bowling display in the second session and Mohammad Shahid sent down eight maidens in his 12 overs. For the hosts, on a high after stunning the Proteas in the preceding one-day series, left-arm paceman Mustafizur Rahman made his test debut. - Reuters