Harmer puts Bangladesh in serious trouble in 1st Test

South Africa offspinner Simon Harmer, playing his first Test since 2015, registered his career-best bowling to reduce Bangladesh to a troublesome 98-4 on day two of the first Test at Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban on Friday.

Varying his pace, Harmer claimed all of the four top order wickets to end the day on 4-42.

Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy survived some tricky moment to remain not out 44.

At the end of the day, Bangladesh were trailing by 269 runs after South Africa were dismissed for 367 in its first innings.

While Joy started confidently, his opening partner Shadman Islam looked clueless, particularly against South African spinners-Keshav Maharaj and Harmer, BSS reports.

Maharaj didn’t have any wicket to his name as of now but he gave the control to play a perfect foil to Harmer.

Harmer however removed Shadman for 9 with a delivery that kept low on the stroke of the lunch. But Bangladesh seemed to have gone in right direction when Joy and Najmul Hossain Shanto dealt with the spinners astutely.

Harmer produced a beauty to take the wicket of Shanto who made 38 and thereby ended the 55-run second wicket partnership.

But there was more joy for Harmer and South Africa as the spinner dismissed Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque for duck in his next over.

His next victim was Mushfiqur Rahim, the most experienced batter of the country scored just 7, before edging a Harmer delivery to wicket-keeper.

Fast bowler Syed Khaled Ahmed claimed his career-best 4-92 to play a key role in bowling out South Africa who added 134-run to their overnight total.