Bangladesh crumble in the last session

Bangladesh suffered a batting collapse in the last session as South Africa fought back on the first day of the last Test on Thursday.

The South African bowlers strangled the Tigers who lost five wickets for just 66 runs after tea at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

Nasir Hossain (13) was unbeaten with Bangladesh on 246 for 8 in 88.1 overs at the close of play.

Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim topscored with 65 and joined Mahmudullah (35) in a 94-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Bangladesh were off to poor start after winning the toss as South African pace spearhead Dale Steyn signed up for the 400-wicket club in Tests with Tamim Iqbal’s scalp in the fifth over of the day.

Having survived an edge in Steyn's previous over, Tamim (6) went back in the next when he threw his bat at another to edge back to Hashim Amla in the first slip.

With the dismissal, the 32-year old seamer became the second South African after Shaun Pollock to reach the milestone. 

He also became the second fastest to do so along with Richard Hadlee. Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan was the quickest to the 400-club.

Steyn, however, topped the list in terms of balls bowled.

Mominul Haque (40) and Imrul Kayes (30) then led Bangladesh to recovery with a steady 69-run stand.

South African fast bowlers did not give the batsmen room for comfort, bowling tight length and attacking with the short stuff.

Morne Morkel struck Mominul on the side of the helmet in his second over.

But the duo steadied the ship as the teams went for an extended lunch break due to rain with Bangladesh on 75 for 1.

JP Duminy took two wickets in successive overs to remove Mominul and Kayes shortly after the lunch break just after he was brought into the attack.

Mominul edged him back to Dane Vilas for the debutant wicketkeeper's first international dismissal before the Proteas allrounder trapped Kayes leg-before in his next over. 
Bangladesh looked uncomfortable losing two wickets in five runs but Mahmudullah and Mushfiq took control and regained momentum.

The skipper scored his 15th Test half-century off 79 deliveries with seven boundaries and it came after 11 innings.

The experienced duo helped the hosts to score 79 runs in the second session.

They took Bangladesh to 180 for three with Bangladesh’s second highest stand against the Proteas.

But Steyn came back into the attack and took his second scalp to break the stand when Mahmudullah flicked a full delivery straight to Temba Bavuma at short midwicket.

Shakib Al Hasan (35), in at six, then took the fight to the bowlers with some aggressive shots.

Mushfiqur could thank luck twice. 

Steyn’s reverse swing went straight through him in the 39th over and brushed the stumps without disturbing the bails on the way to the keeper. Vilas could not hold on to a catch on another occasion.

The 26-year old Tigers skipper, however, can consider himself unlucky when he was adjudged caught behind off Dean Elgar. 

He reviewed it but due to lack of evidence the umpires' decision was upheld.

Liton Kumar Das (3) went back in a hurry off Duminy while Morkel took out Shakib who was looking dangerous.

Shakib could not read Morkel’s extra bounce and got an outside edge that flew to Elgar at gully. Steyn took the wicket of Mohammad Shahid (1) when the umpires called stumps.

With the dismissal, Morkel took his first wicket on the tour as Bangladesh added 92 runs in the final session of the day.

Steyn and Duminy bagged three wickets each while Morkel and Elgar chipped with one apiece.