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Bangladesh 139 for 5 (Tamim 47, Mulder 3-15, Olivier 2-17) trail South Africa 453 (Maharaj 84, Elgar 70, Bavuma 67, Petersen 64, Taijul 6-135, Khaled 3-100) by 314 runs
Port Elizabeth: The hosts put up a solid show with both bat and ball as they reduced Bangladesh to 139/5 after posting 453 in the first innings.
South Africa managed to bat through the first two sessions thanks to Keshav Maharaj's impressive 84 and handy contributions from the lower-order batters. After posting a solid first-innings total, their bowlers continued the good work as they sent half of Bangladesh's side back to the pavilion.
The experienced Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten on 30 with Yasir Ali keeping him company on 8 at stumps.
The final session began with Bangladesh openers at the crease and South Africa striking in the first over. Duanne Olivier was handed the new ball and he managed to prompt Mahmadul Hasan Joy, the centurion from the previous match, to push the ball, only to edge it to the first slip for nought.
The experienced Tamim Iqbal was welcomed with short balls but he handled the opening spell maturely, replying to the bowlers with some cracking fours. Najmul Hossain Shanto also held his nerves and batted patiently, allowing Bangladesh to recover from the early wicket.
With two left-handers at the crease, South African skipper Dean Elgar didn't delay deploying off-spinner Simon Harmer from one end. But Tamim and Shanto continued to bat sensibly and brought up Bangladesh’s fifty in the 13th over.
In search of a breakthrough, Elgar introduced Maharaj into the attack. From the other end, all-rounder Wiaan Mulder was given a chance and he claimed the big wicket of Tamim in his very first over. Tamim kept playing off his pads but this time he missed the angled-in ball from Mulder and was found in front of the wickets, to be dismissed on 47.
Mulder in his very next over dismissed another set batter Shanto on 33. Shanto was dismissed in a similar pattern to that of Tamim, but this time South Africa had to use their review as the umpire suspected a faint inside-edge or for the impact to have been outside off.
South Africa with two big wickets had brought themselves back in the game. The onus was on the two new batters, Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim. Maharaj's disciplined bowling had almost paid off when he created an opportunity by inducing an outside edge off Mominul’s bat, but Keegan Petersen standing at first slip was late to grab the ball as the Bangladesh skipper survived.
However, Mominul’s resistance didn't last long as Mulder struck once again immediately after the drinks break. The South Africa bowler trapped him in front for 6, reducing the visitors to 100/4. Soon, Liton Das followed suit as he walked back after getting clean bowled by Olivier for 11.
Earlier, the visitors' seamers Khaled Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain got the day off to a decent start, but Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder sailed through the first half-hour with ease, barring Bangladesh from gaining momentum.
Khaled, who had taken two key wickets of opener Sarel Erwee and middle-order mainstay Temba Bavuma on the opening day, got his third wicket when he dismissed Verreynne for 22. Verreynne, who had looked solid from the start, was dismissed by Khaled's stunning full-length delivery, which passed through his defence to dislodge the stumps.
Keshav Maharaj came out to bat and immediately started charging against the bowlers. He smashed the pacers for boundaries and later when spin was introduced, he welcomed Taijul Islam with a six on the first ball followed by a boundary in the same over. Maharaj continued his aggressive approach and with a six over long-on he brought up his fourth Test half-century in just 49 balls.
