¶¶Òõ¾«Æ·

Taijul Islam led Bangladesh’s fightback after they were bundled out for 106 against South Africa as 16 wickets fell on the opening day of the first Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Monday.

South Africa reached 140-6, 34 runs ahead in the first innings, when bad light ended the day’s play 15 minutes before the scheduled time.

Taijul took five of the six wickets and became the second Bangladeshi bowler to take 200 wickets in Tests after Shakib Al Hasan.  

After Hasan Mahmud, the lone pacer in the hosts’ line-up, clean bowled South Africa captain Aiden Markram, it was all Taijul-show.

Tristan Stubbs, who added 41 runs with Tony de Zorzi, edged one to slip on 23 after getting a reprieve earlier. 

Taijul then bagged Bedingham and de Zorzi. The left arm spinner’s 200th wicket was debutant Matthew Breetzke, who was bowled after not offering a shot. Ryan Rickelton nicked one to become Taijul’s number five in the innings. 

Kyle Verreynne (18) and Wiaan Mulder (17) remained unbeaten as the visitors took the lead on a tough wicket that Kagiso Rabada described as ‘surprising.’

It was pacer Mulder, who took the first of three Bangladesh wickets in no time to put the hosts on the backfoot at the start of the day. The hosts lost six in the first session.

The pitch offered zip and extra-bounce which helped the pacers, and later on there were big turns. Mulder drew the first blood when Shadman Islam chased a wide delivery.

Mominul Haque, who opened the scoring with a boundary from a flick, brought his downfall after playing a good length delivery through the wrong line. 

Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto chipped it straight to mid-off as he tried to flick. After being hit for a four, Mulder changed his angle before this delivery.

Mushfiqur Rahim and opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy tried to steady the ship a bit, but their resistance lasted only 8.1 overs. Rabada’s nip backing delivery shattered the defence of Mushfiq before uprooting the stumps. 

It was the 300th wicket in Test for the pacer, the sixth bowler from his country, and the fastest overall in terms of balls bowled to reach the milestone. He made his ODI debut at this very venue.

Rabada managed the feat in 11,817 balls, beating Pakistan’s Waqar Younis (12,602 balls).

Liton Das was shell-shocked off a Rabada delivery that bounced from a length and was caught at gully by a flying Stubbs. 

Mehidy Hasan Miraz became the first wicket to fall off spin of the Test as he was trapped lbw in an arm delivery off Keshav Maharaj.

Bangladesh came with an attacking intent, but that didn’t bode well. Joy was bowled by Maharaj as he tried to cut after making room after hitting Dane Piedt for a six.

Debutant Jaker Ali went for a wild swing but was stumped. 

Taijul and Nayeem Hasan then held the fort for a while, bringing the second-longest innings in terms of balls.

Rabada broke through as Nayeem edged it to slip, and then Maharaj picked up his third to clean bowl Taijul to wrap up the innings. 

Bangladesh’s 106 is their lowest at home in the first innings after opting to bat first.