BANGLADESH TAKE LEAD

Shahadat Hossain finished with magnificent figures of 6 for 27 as Bangladesh garnered a valuable lead of 22 on the second afternoon at the National Stadium in Mirpur. Having trapped Mark Boucher in front with one that angled back, Shahadat then knocked back Makhaya Ntini's off stump to complete an impressive hour of work from the bowlers after South Africa had recovered to 145 for 6. Now, it was up to the batsmen to try and push on. A day after their U-19s defeated England at the World Cup in Malaysia, this was another sign that Bangladesh cricket really is on the March.
The controversial dismissal of AB de Villiers was the main talking point on an engrossing morning of play. Bangladesh struck early to reduce South Africa to 77 for 5, before a 68-run partnership between de Villiers and Johan Botha, the nightwatchman redressed the balance. But the loss of de Villiers triggered another collapse and it was Bangladesh who were the happier side at lunch with South Africa struggling at 158 for 8.
By the time Mohammad Ashraful brought himself shortly before lunch, the momentum had swung towards South Africa, with de Villiers riding his luck to 46 and Botha offering stout resistance. But it all changed in the space of one ball. And what a ball it was. Ashraful is no Shane Warne, and when the ball left his fingers, it bounced twice before reaching de Villiers. He chose to play it from the crease, but could only top edge it back to the bowler.
Cue massive celebrations from Bangladesh and no movement from de Villiers, who was convinced that it was a dead ball. Steve Bucknor finally him on his way though, much to the dismay of the South African dressing room. Botha's 91-ball vigil ended soon after, trapped in front by Hossain, and when Mornè Morkel followed on the stroke of lunch, Bangladesh were poised to take a slender lead on first innings.
That hadn't seemed likely when de Villiers was going strong. Coming to the crease after a shambolic mix-up sent Ashwell Prince on his way in the second over of the morning, de Villiers quickly signaled his intent with drives, cuts and powerful pulls through midwicket. There was an element of good fortune too, with Ashraful, running back from mid-off, dropping a catch off Mohammad Rafique after de Villiers had made just 30.
On a pitch where the odd ball stayed exceptionally low, concentration was crucial, and Botha played his part in a partnership that got South Africa back into the contest. He let de Villiers do the bulk of the scoring, but there was also a lovely on-drive off Rafique and an impudent reverse-sweep off Shakib Al Hasan in his innings of 25.
There was a phase between through the session where the South Africans were becalmed for more than five overs, but once de Villiers smacked Shakib for a big six over midwicket, the tide turned.
Later South Africa was dismissed for 170 and bangladesh gained 22 runs first innings lead