Bangladesh were eyeing a major upset yesterday after bowling out South Africa cheaply and building a solid lead in a thrilling second day's play in the opening Test.
Fast bowler Shahadat Hossain picked up a career-best 6-27 to help Bangladesh bowl out their mighty rivals for 170 inside 61 overs, a first innings advantage of 22 runs.
The hosts, who made 192 in their first knock, swelled the overall lead to 147, reaching 125-4 at stumps on an already deteriorating pitch in Dhaka
PHOTO: AFP
Young Junaid Siddique led the charge with an unbeaten 64 off 158 balls, including five fours, as Bangladesh raised hopes of only their second ever Test victory.
The opener put on 56 runs for the fourth wicket with captain Mohammad Ashraful (24).
Bangladesh, who have lost all their previous four Tests to South Africa by innings margins, have won just one of their 51 Tests.
The South Africans tried to stage a comeback through Dale Steyn who cleaned up the Bangladeshi top order in a three-wicket burst.
Opener Tamim Iqbal (two) was done in by a late inswinger while Shahriar Nafees (16) was trapped leg before soon after.
Habibul Bashar, playing in a national record 50th Test, was out leg-before for just two as Bangladesh crashed to 29 for three.
Ashraful then fell to Makhaya Ntini when he edged one behind to Mark Boucher for 24.
But Siddique held anchor at one end to ensure there were no further setbacks for the host team.
Bangladesh owed their performance to Hossain as well as the move by Ashraful to bring himself into the attack and claim the crucial wicket of de Villiers (46).
De Villiers pulled at a ball which had bounced twice before reaching his bat. Ashraful took the catch but de Villiers stood his ground believing that the ball was dead.
But umpire Steve Bucknor raised his finger as a ball will be deemed legitimate if it does not bounce more than twice before hitting the bat.
It was an important breakthrough for the hosts as de Villiers was growing in confidence, having hit seven fours and a mighty six in his 73-ball knock.
Hossain then returned to clean up Johan Botha (25) and tail-ender Morne Morkel.
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