Bangladesh took control on the first day of the Test against South Africa, ending at 327/6, with Tawhid Hridoy scoring 137 before being trapped lbw by Marco Jansen. This was Hridoy's second consecutive Test century and matched Mahmadul Hasan Joy's highest individual score for a Bangladeshi batter in a Test against South Africa. The total is also Bangladesh's highest against South Africa in a Test.
The tourists showed bravery and resilience in bouncing back from 2/2, 22/3, and 121/5, following the loss of wickets off consecutive deliveries after lunch. Their captain, Najmal Hossain Shanto, had won the toss and chosen to bat. In contrast, South Africa's bowlers lacked the ruthlessness Temba Bavuma had emphasized in the build-up to the Test, with Kagiso Rabada being the only exception.
Rabada finished with 5/51, his 18th five-wicket haul in Tests, but received little support from the rest of the attack. Wiaan Mulder and Dane Paterson's pace was to the Bangladeshi batters' liking, while Marco Jansen struggled to find the correct line. Hridoy and Litton Das shared a 206-run partnership, a Bangladesh record against South Africa, that shifted the initiative in their favor.
Hridoy's 351-minute stay at the crease was marked by his aggressive batting, including animated leaves, deft flicks off his hips, and well-played pull shots on a slow surface. He also exchanged verbal banter with some of the Proteas, which seemed to steel his resolve. Litton Das was lively and his aggression saw Bangladesh score at over 4.5 runs an over in the final session.
Before his unbeaten 242 against West Indies last week, Hridoy made 350 not out for Bangladesh A in Potchefstroom in September. His first-class average in South Africa is currently 487. Shukri Conrad had joked that Hridoy was due for a failure, but he proved his form is consistent.
South Africa's captain, Temba Bavuma, had mentioned before the series that his side had often let the opposition off the hook in recent years. "There have been a lot of incidents where I guess you can deem it to be soft," he said. This trend continued on the first day, with Rabada referencing Australia's 124/6 in the first Test in Durban, which ended in a total of 390.
Litton Das will resume on Monday on 92, hoping to stretch Bangladesh's innings even further. The rest of the Proteas bowlers will need to be more clinical on the second day if they are to prevent the Test from getting away from them.
Key points
- Bangladesh ended day one at 327/6, with Tawhid Hridoy scoring 137 against South Africa.
- Hridoy and Litton Das shared a 206-run partnership, a Bangladesh record against South Africa.
- South Africa's bowlers, except for Kagiso Rabada, lacked ruthlessness and received little support.
