Durban - A half century from opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy, helped Bangladesh to keep South Africa at bay on the third morning of the first Test, at Kingsmead, in Durban, on Saturday.
The tourists lost just one wicket - that of nightwatchman Taskin Ahmed - in the first session, and went to lunch on 183/5 with Joy, playing in just his third Test, on 80 while Litton Das was on 41. The pair have added 82 runs in their sixth wicket partnership.
It was a frustrating morning for the Proteas. Lizaad Williams had picked up his maiden Test wicket when he had Taskin caught by a juggling Wiaan Mulder in the gully.
That wicket came off the 13th ball of the morning, but there would be nothing else for the South Africans in the session despite a couple of close opportunities, two of which the home team sent to the third umpire for review but received nothing in their favour.
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The Proteas didn’t help themselves when Dean Elgar dropped a simple catch at first slip with Das on 16, in the last over of an excellent spell from Williams.
Unlike Friday afternoon, when he was intent to just block the spinners, Joy was immediately more aggressive when Simon Harmer came into the attack. He thumped a four off the first ball through mid-off to bring up his 50, and whacked a six over long-on in the next over. Harmer conceded 23 runs in his first three overs on Saturday, as Joy and Das counter-attacked superbly.
Joy's innings has seen him strike eight fours and a six, while Das who played superbly in the One-Day series, has hit five fours.
“A huge moment.”
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“There’s no better feeling.”
Lizaad Williams has his first Test wicket 👏
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Keshav Maharaj spun a few passed the outside edge, and on one occasion referred a caught behind against Joy to Allahudien Paleker, but the replays showed there was no edge.
Joy offered another half chance on 64 to Sarel Erwee at short leg, but the fielder, understandably following the movement of the bat, could shift back to his right quickly enough after the ball came off the inside edge.
Mulder missed a difficult chance at leg slip also off Hamer offered by Das, 10 minutes before lunch, when he stood up out of his crouch position too quickly. There was more excitement off the next ball when Erwee dived and caught what the Proteas thought was a ‘bat/pad’ chance by Das, but again the TV replays showed that no bat was involved.
South Africa will have access to the second new ball, after one more over and will be hoping for a bit more fortune when play resumes.