Tiaan van Vuuren, Tshepo Ntuli and Andile Simelane all claimed a wicket apiece to keep South Africa Emerging Men in touch after the opening day of the first four-day match against Bangladesh Emerging at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Tuesday.
The hosts reached stumps on a shortened day at 213-4 thanks in the main to a century by Ashiqur Rahman Shibli, who struck 104 off 143 balls (16 fours, 1 six).
Only 70 overs were possible on account of rain, with the visiting bowlers doing their best to restrict the home side after they had won the toss and batted.
Bangladesh, fresh from winning the three-match one-day series 2-1, started well thanks to 19-year-old opener Shibli.
Together with fellow opener Chowdhury Md Rizwan, the pair put on 69 for the first wicket, before off-break bowler Ntuli (1-70) struck.
The spinner trapped Rizwan leg before wicket for 12, with Aich Mollah (24) then helping Shibli to nearly double the score to 129.
They added 60 for the second wicket, which was broken when Van Vuuren (1-42) had Mollah out lbw.
Captain Shahadat Hossain, with six test caps to his name, was next in and he stayed in for the rest of the day with an unbeaten 42 off 121 balls.
He first put on 44 with Shibli for the third wicket – a stand that ended when Van Vuuren and wicketkeeper Ntando Zuma had the latter run out shortly after he reached three figures.
And the South Africans then had another wicket not long after when Ariful Islam was caught by Muhammad Manack off Simelane (1-21) for three.
But Pritom Kumar (11*) kept his captain company until the close with the hosts holding a slight upper-hand thanks to their unbroken 38-run partnership.
Day two will start 30 minutes earlier than scheduled, at 9am.
SA Emerging Men’s Squad against Bangladesh Emerging
George van Heerden (captain, Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Connor Esterhuizen (DP World Lions), Muhammad Manack (DP World Lions), Dian Forrester (Knights), Dewan Marais (Eastern Storm), Andile Mogakane (Dafabet Warriors), Nqobani Mokoena (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tshepo Ndwandwa (Momentum Multiply Titans), Tshepo Ntuli (Northern Cape Heat), Romashan Pillay (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Meeka-eel Prince (Renault North West Dragons), Andile Simelane (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Richard Seletswane (DP World Lions), Tiaan van Vuuren (Knights), and Ntandoyenkosi Zuma (ACDC Express Tuskers).
FOUR-DAY MATCHES
Tuesday, 20 May – Friday, 23 May at 09:30
Bangladesh Emerging v South Africa Emerging – Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram
Tuesday, 27 May – Friday, 30 May at 09:30
Bangladesh Emerging v South Africa Emerging – Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka