SA v BAN | 1st Test | Day 04: Hosts on top as Bangladesh jolted with three quick wickets in pursuit of 274

South Africa assumed pole position in the first Test match against Bangladesh as they reduced the visitors to 11/3 after setting a fourth-innings target of 274.

Resuming the innings at 0/6, the South African opening duo of Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee added 48 runs for the first wicket in 18.3 overs before seamer Ebadot Hossain trapped the latter plumb in front for a 51-ball 8.

Post the dismissal, Elgar and Keegan Petersen steadied the ship with a 68-run-stand for the second wicket, ensuring that the home side went to the Lunch break at 106/1.

Elgar scored another patient half-century- a 102-ball 64- but as is always the case with the gritty opener, he rode his luck all through the innings. He was dropped on 34 and 41 earlier in the day before an on-field LBW decision of not-out was overturned after Bangladesh sent it upstairs. Elgar was on 64 at the time when Taskin seemed to have trapped him in front.

Elgar’s dismissal at the score of 64 paved the way for a mid-innings collapse of the Proteas as they went from being in a comfortable position of 116/1 to 157/5 by the time the second session came to an end.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz., who bowled endlessly from one end, was the wrecker-in-chief for the tourists as he dismissed Kyle Verreynne and Keegan Petersen in quick succession. Then, Ebadot induced an outside edge off Temba Bavuma’s bat for a 22-ball four before Ryan Rickelton (39 not-out off 89 balls) and Wiaan Mulder (11 off 42 deliveries) saw off a tricky passage of play before the Tea break.

Wickets continued to tumble after the Tea break as Hasan knocked over Mulder before an injured Taskin Ahmed trapped Keshav Maharaj plumb in front. The last two batsmen- Lizard Williams and Duanne Oliver- were run out, leaving Rickelton stranded at the other end.

Mehidy Hasan (3/85 in 35 overs) and Ebadot Hossain (3/40 in 13 overs) shared six wickets, while Taskin claimed two as South Africa went from 116/1 to 204 all-out.

South Africa finished with a healthy lead of 274 runs despite the collapse. They have already prized out three Bangladeshi top-order wickets, including the scalp of the centurion from the first innings, Mahmudul Hassan, who was knocked over by Maharaj.

Maharaj trapped skipper Mominul plumb in front while Simon Harmer, dismissed Shadnam Islam to leave Bangladesh tottering at 3-11 before bad light forced a premature end to the fourth days’ proceedings.

Brief Score:

South Africa 367/10 (121) 

Temba Bavuma 93, Dean Elgar 67; 

Khaled Ahmed 4/92, Mehidy Hasan 3/94 

Bangladesh 298/10 (115.5) 

Mahmudul Hasan Joy 137, Liton Das 41; 

Simon Harmer 4/103, Lizaad Williams 3/54

South Africa 204/10 (74) in 2nd innings

Dean Elgar 64, Ryan Rickelton 39*;

Mehidy Hasan 3/85, Ebadot Hossain 3/40

Bangladesh 11/3 (6)

Najmul Hossain Shanto 5

Keshav Maharaj 2/7, Simon Harmer 1/4

South lead by 263 runs at the end of 4th day's play.