Bangladesh’s new wicketkeeper batsman Liton Das wanted to play as long as possible

Batsman Liton Das has played a big role in Bangladesh taking a lead against South Africa in the first innings on the third day of Chittagong Test.

But the youngster said he had something more on his mind.

Liton scored his maiden Test half-century that helped Bangladesh go past South Africa’s first innings score for the first time.

The Tigers were bowled out for 326 with a 78-run lead before the visitors breezed to 61 for no loss when rain forced early end to the day’s play on Thursday.

The 20-year old wicketkeeper batsman regrets not being able to stretch his innings further.

"Everyone gets out due to some kind of mistake. Maybe I took a wrong decision," he said in a press conference after close of play at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

After Shakib Al Hasan went back with Bangladesh on 277 for 6, Liton took his team over 300 showing great control and technique.

"My target was a bit bigger. I was the only specialist batsman at that time (on the crease). The ones who followed were lower-order batsmen."

"It was a very good innings though. I wanted to face the bowler for as many deliveries as possible."

But Liton said he was happy that his contribution helped the team.

He believes the bowlers will now have a crucial role to play again.

"It will be good for us if we can restrict the target to 150-200. The wicket offers help, so my advice to the bowlers will be to bowl wicket-to-wicket.”

Successful partnership

Liton’s sixth wicket stand with Shakib gave Bangladesh a good chance to put up a fight in the first Test of the two-match series.

The duo helped each other in the 82-run partnership, Liton said.

He joined the top allrounder after Mushfiqur Rahim departed with Bangladesh still 53 runs behind.

The duo did well to maintain a steady flow of runs.

"Our aim was to secure the lead first and then to extend it as far as possible. We played according to the plan."

The pair took Bangladesh from 195 to 277 and faced the tough overs when South Africa took the new ball.

They cleverly rotated strikes and punished bad balls with occasional boundaries.

Shakib, however, tried to reach his half-century with a boundary and ended up throwing away his wicket on 47, bring an end to the dangerous partnership.

The job was not easy for Liton who had played in only one Test innings before Thursday. But Shakib’s resolve at the other end rubbed off on him.

He said they regularly talked to each other when in the middle.

"When a batsman gets out on the field, his partner is his closest friend. He is the one who helps out the most. We were supporting each other in the middle.”