Sawt Falasteen - Bangladesh 11-3 in pursuit of 274 target against South Africa

Bangladesh, set to make 274 to win, were teetering at 11 for three at the close, with South African spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj taking all three wickets inside five overs with the new ball.

Off-spinner Harmer had Shadman Islam caught at slip for nought in the second over before left-armer Keshav Maharaj took two wickets in his third over.

Maharaj bowled first innings century-maker Mahmudul Hasan Jay for four with a ball which drifted in and found a gap between bat and pad.

Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque edged two runs before he went back on his stumps and was trapped leg before wicket.

The late afternoon collapse undid much of the good work Bangladesh had done with a superb bowling and fielding performance earlier in the day.

South Africa appeared to be in control of the match when they reached 105 for one at lunch in their second innings.

But Bangladesh came back strongly to bowl out the home side for 204.

Fast bowler Ebadot Hossain took three for 40, while off-spinner Mehidy Hasan took three for 85 in 35 overs.

Dean Elgar made 64, his second half-century of the match, and newcomer Ryan Rickelton was stranded on 39 not when the last three wickets fell for two runs in seven balls.

Mehidy bowled with excellent control, as he had in the first innings, which enabled Mominul to use his fast bowlers in short spells.

Bangladesh took four wickets and conceded only 52 runs in 28 overs between lunch and tea.

South African captain Elgar, who made 67 in the first innings, was dropped in the slips twice, on 34 off Mehidy Hasan and on 43 off Ebadot.

But Bangladesh made up for the errors with outstanding catches by Yasir Ali at slip and Shadman at silly mid-off, while substitute Nurul Hasan pulled off a direct hit run-out of Harmer with a throw from the cover boundary.

H.Jarrar--SF-PST