Simon Harmer had a whale of a day at Kingmead, scoring an unbeaten 38 before claiming all four Bangladesh wickets to fall as the Proteas bossed the second day of the first Betway test in Durban on Friday.
At the close, with spinners Harmer and Keshav Maharaj bowling the bulk of the overs, Bangladesh had stumbled to 98 for four in 49 overs, still 269 runs in arrears after South Africa had compiled 367 in their first innings.
Harmer had the superb figures of 4-42 in 20 overs while Maharaj, a valuable partner, had the suffocating analysis of 19-10-24-0.
Not only did South Africa use spin power to make inroads into the Bangladesh innings, it was also the first time since 1970 that they have chosen two specialist spinners for a home test.
The previous occasion was at Newlands during the famous 4-0 whitewash series against Australia when Grahame Chevalier (in his only test) and Kelly Seymour were paired.
Harmer, who last played for South Africa against India in Nagpur in November 2015, is well acquainted with taking wickets: he has 491 first-class scalps to his name between his fifth test in Nagpur and sixth at Kingsmead, the vast majority for Essex in the English County Championship.
“Bowling puts bread on my table,” Harmer said after the day’s play, “but I have worked hard on my batting this season because it hasn’t really gone to plan at domestic level.
“Taking wickets is my currency though, winning games and trophies, and I have a feeling of vindication today. Although I’ve done it for Essex and now for the Titans, you do still ask yourself ‘Am I good enough for international cricket?’
“To take four wickets certainly answers a few of my own questions and it was a very good day, which I could not really have scripted better. For us to be in this position going into Day 3 is very good.
“We expected the pitch to turn a bit more actually, but we were able to bide our time. We had to bowl double-spin because it was too dark for pace, and Keshav Maharaj and I found some turn with the older ball as the pitch began to wear more,” Harmer said.
The offspinner was introduced in the ninth over and quickly claimed the wicket of Shadman Islam. He bowled a quicker, flatter delivery to the left-hander and Shadman was palpably beaten as he went back, rather than forward, to the ball.
GEM OF A DELIVERY
Harmer and Maharaj then bowled in tandem from the 11th over onwards – with one over from skipper Dean Elgar so Harmer could change ends – because the umpires determined that the light was too poor to allow pace.
Including Elgar’s contribution, South Africa’s spinners bowled 40 of the 49 overs delivered with the day’s full tally of overs completed before a small but appreciative crowd despite the dim light and threatening clouds.
The umpires' spin-only ruling proved to be no problem for South Africa, and Harmer in particular, as he made his way steadily through the Bangladesh top order.
He had to wait a while for his next victim as opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Nazmul Hossain Shanto added 55 in 160 balls for the second wicket before Harmer produced a gem of a delivery that floated into the left-handed Shanto before turning just enough to clip his off-stump.
Mominul Haque came and quickly went, athletically caught by Keegan Petersen at short-leg after a bat-pad chance looped to his left.
Finally, Mushfiqur Rahim gloved a delivery down the leg side which was nicely taken by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, a wicket confirmed by the DRS review.
Earlier, Temba Bavuma was the mainstay of the South African innings, but once again he was denied a century.
Much like Jacques Kallis’s long search for a double-century, there has been plenty of speculation about when Bavuma would add to his first ton against England in his seventh test in January 2016.
His 50th test seemed an ideal time for it but, on 93, Bangladesh offspinner Mehidy Miraz had other ideas.
DOUBLE-STRIKE
Attempting to give himself room to drive off the back foot, Bavuma was undone by some sharp turn with the ball deflecting off his right pad onto his leg stump.
South Africa’s little master had batted patiently and with good judgment for just under five hours in an innings spanning 190 balls and including 12 fours.
It must have been especially disappointing for Bavuma considering that he had done the hard work of seeing off the second new ball which had been especially well directed by the Bangladesh seamers, causing all sorts of problems for the South African batsmen.
Resuming on their overnight total of 233 for four, South Africa were almost immediately pegged back with the second new ball.
Kyle Verreynne was the first to go, leg before to a delivery from Khaled Ahmed that cut back sharply with the batsman trapped on his crease.
Wiaan Mulder then edged the next ball to gully where Mahmudul Hasan Joy caught a good diving catch low to his left.
Keshav Maharaj joined Bavuma and the two men enjoyed a little luck as they added a valuable 53 in 94 balls for the seventh wicket before Bavuma’s dismissal.
Bangladesh then completed their second double strike of two wickets in consecutive deliveries when Maharaj (19) was bowled by a superb delivery from Ebadot Hossain that cut back through a small gap between bat and pad.
After tea, the South African tail wagged vigorously, adding 69 for the last two wickets before being bowled out for 367.
The common denominator was Harmer who added 34 with Lizaad Williams and a further 35 with Duanne Olivier.
Williams was superbly caught at gully by Mahmudul Joy – his second good grab in the position – while Olivier was trapped leg before by Mehedy Miraz.
Khaled Ahmed was Bangladesh’s most successful (pace) bowler, claiming 4-92 in 25 overs, including two in two balls (Kyle Verreynne and Mulder).
Offspinner Mehedy Miraz took 3-94 in 40 overs while Ebedat Hossain collected 2-86 in 29 overs. Taskin Ahmed was a little unfortunate not to get a wicket, conceding 69 runs in 23 overs.
SOUTH AFRICA: Dean Elgar (capt), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Temba Bavuma, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Lizaad Williams, Duanne Olivier
BANGLADESH: Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque (capt), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (wk), Yasir Ali, Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain