Sabbir Hossain :Bangladesh took the control on the first day of the First Test against South Africa when they dismissed the Proteas for 248 in the first innings at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Tuesday.In reply, Bangladesh scored seven for the loss of none.Opener Imrul Kayes was on five, while his partner Tamim Iqbal was on 1 before the bails were drawn for the first day.Debutante pacer ‘Wonder Boy’ Mustafizur Rahman and leg spinner Jubair Hossain played the key role in wrecking South African innings by their controlled and tight bowling attack. Mustafizur Rahman bowled really well and finished as 17.4-6-37-4.Jubair Hossain grabbed three wickets at the cost of 53 runs.South Africa made a good start as Dean Elgar and Stiaan van Zyl, the two openers of the African side added together 58 runs in the opening stand.Left-arm spinner Mahmudullah Riyad gave the breakthrough for the hosts. Stiaan was caught behind by wicketkeeper Litton Das off Riyad.After dismissal of Stiaan, Dean Elgar and Faf du Plessis built another notable partnership for the visitors as they put on together 78 runs for the second wicket partnership before Elgar was caught behind by Litton Das off Taijul Islam when the tourists’ total was 136 for the loss of two wickets. Then Faf du Plessis was trapped leg before wicket by left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan when South Africa’s score was 136 for the loss of three wickets.Faf du Plessis notched up a sedate 48 from 122 balls. His 149-minute knock was laced with five fours. Dean Elgar made a calm 47 off 111 balls. He hit three fours in his 204-minute painstaking innings.Stiaan hit 34 from 49 balls with six fours.Mustafizur Rahman picked up three wickets in his 14th over. He dismissed Hashim Amla for 13, JP Duminy for a duck and Quinton de Kock for naught. When Kock returned to the pavilion, South Africa’s total was 173 for the loss of six wickets.Later, Temba Bayuma and Vernon Philander added 35 runs for the seventh wicket partnership before Philander (24) was caught at the slip by Shakib Al Hasan off Jubair Hossain when the visitors’ score was 208 for the loss of seven wickets.Temba Bayuma restored some parity for the African side hitting 54. His 108-ball innings was decorated with five fours. He reached his maiden Test half century playing 91 balls.After dismissal of Philander, Jubair Hossain struck again. Simon Harmer (9) was caught at the short leg by Mominul Haque off Jubair Hossain when South Africa’s total was 237 for the loss of eight wickets.Then Dale Steyn (2) was caught at the mid-off by Tamim Iqbal off Jubair Hossain when the Proteas’ score was 239 for the loss of nine wickets.Mustafizur Rahman picked up the most worthy wicket of South Africa when Temba Bayuma was caught at the deep mid-wicket by Jubair Hossain off Mustafizur Rahman when South Africa’s first innings was wrapped up.Mahmudullah Riyad, Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam took one wicket apiece.
