Close South Africa 369 for 2 (Smith 200, Kirsten 113*)
scorecard

Graeme Smith converted his maiden Test century to a superb 200, and Gary Kirsten became the first man to score centuries against all nine Test-playing opponents, as South Africa christened Buffalo Park, the 85th and newest Test venue, with a feast of runs. The pair added 272 for the second wicket, as Bangladesh, who won the toss and chose to field, suffered a long and fruitless day in the sun.

Kirsten had a point to prove after his omission from South Africa's one-day side, and after making a rare appearance at No. 3, he peppered the arc between point and long-off with exquisitely timed drives. He quickly celebrated his return to international cricket with a 58-ball half-century, and took no time to settle into a rhythm, opening his account with three boundaries in an over off Tapash Baisya – one of which was a slightly fortuitous under-edged cut to fine leg.

At the other end, Kirsten's doppelganger Smith was in equally commanding form. Both men are left-handed, with a tendency to drive away from the body, and such was the frequency with which the ball clattered over the ropes at extra-cover, that it was hard to distinguish the two. Smith, though, was the only man to give a chance, when on 111, he edged Alok Kapali between keeper and slip for four. On reaching three figures, he looked slightly sheepish to have fulfilled a lifelong ambition in such hollow circumstances, but there was no disguising his glee when he posted his double century. Sure enough, the surfeit of emotion did for him, and within two balls he had lofted Sanwar Hossain to mid-on (359 for 2).

The only other scalp fell in the morning session – Herschelle Gibbs, who had looked in sumptuous form until he who cut loosely at a wide delivery from Baisya and scooped the ball to Tushar Imran at extra cover (87 for 1). After a measured start, with a mere 20 runs coming from the first seven overs, he had launched Baisya over midwicket for six, before driving him emphatically down the ground for four, and though he dutifully shouldered arms to much that came his way, when he chose to play a shot, it was never with anything but the very middle of the bat.

Bangladesh's bowlers were spirited as ever, but lacked the necessary penetration. Baisya and Talha Jubair bowled with optimistic hostility, and beat the edge on occasions, and Mohammad Rafique found some handy drift with his staccato round-arm spin. By the end of the day, however, they had been reduced to a rabble. Yet another dispiriting trouncing is only a matter of time.

South Africa 1 Herschelle Gibbs, 2 Graeme Smith, 3 Gary Kirsten, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 Ashwell Prince, 6 Martin van Jaarsveld, 7 Mark Boucher (capt & wk), 8 Claude Henderson, 9 David Terbrugge, 10 Makhaya Ntini, 11 Nantie Hayward.

Bangladesh 1 Al-Sahariar Rokon, 2 Javed Omar, 3 Habibul Bashar, 4 Sanwar Hossain, 5 Tushar Imran, 6 Alok Kapali, 7 Khaled Mashud (capt & wk), 8 Mohammad Rafique, 9 Tapash Baisya, 10 Talha Jubair, 11 Manjural Islam.

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