South Africa make brisk start in opening Test

Bangladesh might take tons of self-confidence made from a day long internationaly assortment triumph over South Africa, but nonetheless generate a two-match Test group trying to defeat an awful release on the Proteas. Sure, their players have busied themselves with the Indian Premier League and a few have just had a Twenty20 and one-day series against Bangladesh, but Test match intensity is something completely different. During the period, it swept Zimbabwe 3-0 and managed creditable draws against Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Pakistan and India, mainly at home.

Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha says South Africa’s superb bowling line-up represents the main danger to his team.

Earlier this year, our boys dared us to dream when they rocked up to the house of Kieron Adams, a 12-year-old lad from Cape Town, going on to play a game of cricket with him and the neighbours.

“We knew that back home most South Africans would be spending 67 minutes doing good deeds in Nelson Mandela’s memory and we felt we wanted to share that Madiba legacy with the people of Chittagong”, Birrell said.

South Africa captain Hashim Amla won the toss on Tuesday and elected to bat in the first test against Bangladesh. Seven of those wins came by an innings margin while the other was by five wickets inside four days.

“From my perspective we have a lot of new faces mixed with a lot of guys who have played many Test matches”, Amla added.

“I am very confident with our Test team as well”. The Proteas were without AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn, both of whom had opted out of the ODIs.

The second and final Test will be played in Dhaka from July 30 to August 3.

Bangladesh went in with three spinners – two left-arm spinners in Taijul Islam and Shakib Al Hasan, and legspinner Jubair Hossain – while Mahmudullah’s offbreaks are also an option.

South Africa: Hashim Amla (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Faf du Plessis, JP Duminy, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Dean Elgar, Reeza Hendricks, Stiaan van Zyl, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Simon Harmer, Temba Bavuma, Dane Vilas.