Tigers hit back after South Africa start well in 1st Test

DURBAN, South Africa, Mar 31 (AFP): Bangladesh hit back with three wickets during the first afternoon of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Thursday.
South Africa were 153 for three at tea after being sent in on a pitch with a liberal covering of grass.
Home captain Dean Elgar (67) and Sarel Erwee (41) put on 113 for the first wicket.
Bangladesh bowled poorly in the first hour as South Africa hurried to 60 without loss off 13 overs but tightened up after the morning drinks break.
They had to wait until after lunch before making a double breakthrough. Elgar was caught behind off Khaled Ahmed, gloving a ball which lifted sharply off a good length.
Erwee followed in the next over, driving loosely at off-spinner Mehidy Hasan and dragging the ball onto his stumps.
Bangladesh's third wicket came from superb fielding by Mehidy, who ran out Keegan Petersen (19) after sliding to stop a drive into the covers by Temba Bavuma, then hitting the stumps with a throw from a kneeling position.
Mehidy bowled unchanged between lunch and tea, enabling Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque to rotate his three fast bowlers.
Earlier, South African captain Elgar scored a brisk half-century as his team made a solid start on the first day of the first Test against Bangladesh on Thursday.
South Africa were 95 for no wicket at lunch at Kingsmead. Elgar was unbeaten on 60 while fellow left-hander Sarel Erwee was 32 not out.
Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque won the toss and sent South Africa in but his bowlers were unable to take advantage of a pitch with a liberal covering of grass.
South Africa hurried to 60 without loss off 13 overs in the first hour, with Elgar able to score freely on both sides of the wicket off some loose bowling.
Scoring became more difficult after the mid-morning drinks break as Taskin Ahmed and Khaled Ahmed bowled with more control. Elgar reached his half-century off 60 balls with nine fours.
Erwee was dropped on 32 by wicketkeeper Litton Das, cutting at off-spinner Mehidy Hasan, three balls before lunch.
The start was delayed by 35 minutes after sightscreen malfunctions at both ends, with ground staff struggling to cover both screens with white cloth.