Bangladesh were forced to follow on after collapsing against South Africa’s pace attack on the second day of the first Test on Thursday.
Bangladesh were 20-1 in their second innings at the close after following on 288 runs behind South Africa’s 441-9 declared.
Bangladesh were bowled out for just 153 and it would have been worse if Mushfiqur Rahim and Shahadat Hossain had not put on a defiant 60 for the ninth wicket.
Makhaya Ntini took 3-20 while Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Jacques Kallis claimed two wickets each.
It was a savage crash to earth for the touring team, who had the better of the early part of the day when they took eight South African wickets for 114 runs, with left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan dismissing five batsmen in succession.
He finished with 5-130, with all his wickets taken at a cost of 35 runs in 13 overs Thursday.
”The batsmen are a bit disappointed,” said Shakib. ”There is still a long time left. The guys have character and they will fight back, hopefully.”
Shakib said he did not believe his team had been overwhelmed by sheer pace.
”They bowled in good areas and we didn’t survive the good balls,” he said.
South Africa took a ruthless approach.
Century-maker Hashim Amla said there had been no discussion about batting again in order to give some of the middle order batsmen a chance to play themselves into form ahead of next month’s tour of Australia.
”You don’t take anything lightly in Test cricket,” said Amla. ”The ideal situation is to try to win the game as quickly as possible.”
Bangladesh may have been lifted by their performance in the field, in contrast to the first day when South Africa scored 299-1, but they were soon in deep trouble when they started their innings.
Dale Steyn bowled Tamim Iqbal for seven before Morne Morkel had Junaid Siddique caught at gully for eight.
Left-arm spinner Paul Harris, who did not bat because of a fracture to the base of his left thumb, had debutant Imrul Kayes caught at short leg for 10 with the last ball before tea.
When Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful was caught at gully off Steyn four balls after tea his side were 33-4.
Ntini picked up three cheap wickets as Bangladesh tumbled to 88-8. But wicketkeeper Rahim showed determination and a better technique than most of his teammates as he made 48 off 63 balls with nine fours. Shahadat provided plucky if fortunate support in an innings of 23.
But Rahim faced disciplinary action for allegedly showing dissent when he was given out leg before wicket to Kallis, indicating he thought the ball had come off his bat.
Kayes completed an unhappy first day of batting in Test cricket when he played on against Steyn in the third over of the second innings.
Earlier South Africa looked set to extend their batting dominance of the first day when centurions Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla scored briskly against the second new ball at the start of play.
The pair added 28 in 29 minutes to the overnight total before Amla drove outside an off-cutter from Mashrafe Mortaza and was bowled off an inside edge for 112.
Six balls later Smith was bowled by a superb delivery from Mahbubul Alam for 157. The ball swung in to the left-handed Smith then moved away off the pitch to hit the top of his off stump.
Smith and Amla put on 225 for the second wicket in 244 minutes off 313 balls.
Then it was the turn of Shakib Al Hasan, who took the next five wickets. His first scalp was star batsman Jacques Kallis who was caught at mid-on for 16.
Ashwell Prince made 59 not out while wickets fell around him. — AFP
