Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim and Sabbir Rahman settled in with half-centuries on the first day of Bangladesh’s three-day warm-up game in Benoni. The tourists are taking on a CSA Invitation XI made up mostly of academy players and those who could not find their way into the opening round of franchise fixtures.
Playing their first match in South Africa since 2008, Bangladesh declared their first innings on 306 for 7 to bring an end to time well-spent at the crease. In their reply, the home team lost Isaac Dikgale in the sixth over before stumps were drawn.
Mominul top-scored with 68 off 73 balls that included nine fours, while Mushfiqur made 63 off 85 balls that contained eight fours. The pair added 119 for the third wicket, before Sabbir joined the two with a fifty of his own.
All that after Soumya Sarkar spent two hours at the crease to make 43. After Tamim Iqbal retired hurt in the fifth over with a muscle pull, Sarkar put on 73 for the first wicket with Imrul Kayes. Sabbir, Mushfiqur and Mominul all spent around two hours at the crease.
Bangladesh did have something to be concerned about, though, with Mahmudullah and Liton Das getting out for ducks, while none of the half-centurions cashed in to make a hundred. Still, their performance on their first day back in South Africa would be seen as progress.
Michael Cohen, the left-arm pacer, stood out for the CSA Invitation XI, with 4 for 23.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo