Close Bangladesh 170 (Ntini 5-19) and 209 for 5 (Al-Shahriar 71) trail South Africa 529 for 4 by 150 runs
Scorecard

Defeat is only a matter of time, but some defiant bat-flinging from Al-Shahriar and Sanwar Hossain and an obdurate 32 not out from the captain, Khaled Masud, ensured that Bangladesh would at least go fighting. Following on 359 runs in arrears after Makhaya Ntini had blasted through a flimsy tail in the first 50 minutes of the day, Bangladesh posted 209 for 5, their highest total since November 2001. By the close they still trailed by a not insignificant 150 runs, but on balance the day belonged to the minnows.

Al-Shahriar was the star of Bangladesh's second effort. After Javed Omar (10) had steered a wide ball from Nantie Hayward straight to Herschelle Gibbs in the gully (22 for 1), and Habibul Bashar had hoisted Hayward straight to David Terbrugge at backward square-leg (78 for 2), Al-Shahriar batted boldly if recklessly for his 71. His approach flirted with disaster, and he had to ride his luck at times, but he played his shots all around the ground, clipping the seamers, particularly Hayward, off his toes through midwicket, and driving elegantly through the covers.

It was only when Ntini returned to the attack that Al-Shahriar succumbed. Ntini's uncomfortable line, angled into the body from wide of the crease, had already proved too much for Bangladesh's tail, and having just passed his previous highest Test score of 68, Al-Shahriar was bowled via his chest for 71 (121 for 3).

That might have spelled the end of Bangladesh's resistance, but Sanwar had other ideas, taking the attack to the South Africans, particularly the spinner Claude Henderson and the erratic Hayward. His innings was unluckily sawn off by umpire Russell Tiffin, who acknowledged a half-hearted lbw appeal from David Terbrugge, with Sanwar one short of a deserved half-century. (158 for 4).

Tushar Imran didn't last long, but Alok Kapali, who had impressed in the first innings, came out to join his captain, and together they frustrated the South African attack, who found it difficult to concentrate on a blustery day that put the pacemen off their stride. Judging by the lack of application in the first innings, one more breakthrough would most likely have opened the floodgates, and the close fielders were noticeably more animated as the evening wore on. For the time being though, Bangladesh were mounting an impressive rearguard.

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