Twitter Reactions: Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma's half-centuries put South Africa on command in Durban Test

The South African side ended the first day of the ongoing first Test against Bangladesh with their scorecard reading 233/4 after 76.5 overs. Bad light meant that stumps were drawn early. The Proteas produced a good performance with the willow in hand against the opposition.

The South African openers, Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee, were solid and put on a partnership of 113 runs to send Bangladesh on the back foot at the Kingsmead in Durban. Elgar was the aggressor in the partnership as he scored a fluent 67 off 101 deliveries.

Elgar was the first batter to depart, as he edged Khaled Ahmed to Liton Das who took a good low catch behind the stumps. Elgar’s opening partner Erwee followed his skipper in the very next over to the pavilion after he dragged a delivery from Mehidy Hasan back onto the stumps.

Temba Bavuma scores a fluent half-century to steady the Protean ship

Keegan Petersen and Temba Bavuma then put on a sedate partnership of 29 runs, but just when it seemed as if the duo would inflict more misery on the Bangladesh side, a superb piece of work from Mehidy Hasan ended Petersen’s stay in the middle.

Bavuma hit the ball to point and set off for a run. Hasan picked it up and released the ball quickly, as the red cherry hit the bull’s eye, and Petersen had to walk back to the pavilion. The final wicket to fall in the day was that of Ryan Rickelton, who top-edged a short delivery from Ebadot Hossain straight to the fielder at mid-on.

However, senior batter Temba Bavuma looked comfortable out in the middle. The veteran right-hander struck a patient 53 and put on an undefeated stand of 53 runs with Kyle Verreynne as the Proteas prevented further damage in the day. Verreynne, on his part contributed 27 runs. Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan picked up one wicket each.

Here are the reactions from Twitter after the first day’s play between South Africa and Bangladesh: