Rabada races to five but Hridoy and Litton hold steady

Tea Bangladesh 184 for 5 (Hridoy 66*, Litton 30* Rabada 5-33) vs South Africa

Kagiso Rabada claimed his 18th Test five-for but was the only South African among the wickets at the Wanderers as Bangladesh offered strong counter-punches.

Towhid Hridoy, in his fourth Test, scored his second fifty to continue a run of form that saw him register the highest individual score for Bangladesh against West Indies 10 days ago. His ongoing 63-run sixth-wicket stand has provided a strong follow-up to the 99-run partnership he shared with Tanzid Hasan for the fourth wicket - the highest for Bangladesh in South Africa.

As he did in the morning session, Rabada threatened to cause problems early in the second session when Tanzid edged him for four off the third ball after the break. But it was not until his fifth over of the spell that Rabada was rewarded. Tanzid, on 67, played a back-of-length ball onto his stumps to end a well constructed innings and give South Africa an opening. Rabada burst through it with his next ball, which shaped away late and took Mushfiqur Rahim's edge on its way to Simon Harmer at third slip to give Rabada five. He is now equal with Makhaya Ntini for the third most five-fors for South Africa (18). Only Dale Steyn (26) and Allan Donald (20) have more.

Rabada's hat-trick ball was fast and straightened on Litton Das but he steered it to point. His next delivery was short and shot past the shoulder of Litton's bat but he saw out the over and the end of Rabada's spell and pressure eased.

Marco Jansen replaced Rabada but continued to struggle with his lengths and Litton was not afraid to take on the short ball. Hridoy followed suit and found boundaries of his own, with the pull and the cut shot before he brought up fifty off the 99th ball he faced and his confidence ballooned. He danced down the track to hit Harmer through extra cover for four and then knuckled down to see Bangladesh to the break and leave South Africa wondering where more wickets may come from.

Earlier, Bangladesh were rocked by a searing new-ball from Rabada after they chose to bat first and flung their debutant opener, Mahfijul Islam, straight into the firing line. In his first Test and 20th first-class game, Mahfijul had to face Rabada, who delivered a standard full delivery outside off that could have been left alone. Instead, Mahifjul played at it and got a thick outside edge which flew to Jansen at gully, to become the fourth debutant in the history of the game to be dismissed for a first ball duck.

Momimul Haque saw out the rest of the opening over before Tanzid faced a ball. Tanzid shouldered arms to the first one from Jansen and it hit him in the ribs. Welcome to it.

Tanzid scored Bangladesh's first runs with a flick to midwicket as Jansen spent his first over working to find the right length. Rabada, on the other end, already had his. With speeds above 140kph, and movement off the seam, Mominul stood no chance against a delivery that moved away. He nicked off to register Bangladesh's second duck. Rabada overpitched a touch in his next two overs but kept his spell going into a fifth over, when he sent down the ball of the morning. It lured Shanto into a drive and then swerved inbetween the bat-pad gap to take out his off stump and send it cartwheeling beyond the cordon. Bangladesh were 22 for 3.

Tanzid and Hridoy steadied things in the second hour and found the going easier against South Africa's change bowlers. Tanzid's fifty came off Harmer, who was brought on to bowl two overs before lunch and he was in a good position to push on but will be disappointed he didn't. Bangladesh will hope Hridoy picks up that mantle.