SA Emerging reached 149-3 at the close of the second day of the first four-day match against Bangladesh Emerging in Chattogram.
Captain George van Heerden was unbeaten on 46 off 89 balls and shared in a strong unbroken 82-run fourth wicket partnership with Richard Seletswane (32* off 107 balls) to help the visitors reduce the deficit to 159 after earlier bowling out the hosts for 308.
Tiaan van Vuuren finished with the best figures having collected 3-47, while there were two wickets each for Dian Forrester (2-31) and Tshepo Ntuli (2-81).
It meant that the South Africans had done exceptionally well by the halfway stage, considering the hosts started day two with a slight edge on 213-4.
Overnight pair Pritom Kumar and captain Shahadat Hossain managed to add just 20 to the total when the former was caught behind off Van Vuuren for 31.
New man Moin Khan managed just six, before he became one of two wickets to fall to the impressive Forrester, the second being that of the skipper for 44.
Another quick double by the touring bowlers then left Bangladesh on 266-9, before they were left frustrated by Ripon Mondol’s 26. The No 11 added 42 with Shafiqul Islam (13*) to lift their side above 300 and to their eventual total of 308.
Muhammad Manack (35) and Ntando Zuma (29) produced a solid opening stand of 67 for the away side, before a forgettable passage of play where they lost three wickets with the score on 67.
First Manack was caught behind off Rakibul Hasan (1-28), with a double strike from Ripon (2-26) following – Zuma and Connor Esterhuizen (nought) his victims in three balls from the 21st over.
However, the captain and Seletswane responded beautifully to bat through the next 32 overs without further damage.
