Bangladesh were eyeing a major upset after bowling out South Africa cheaply and building a solid lead on a thrilling second day’s play in the opening Test here on Saturday.

Lanky fast bowler Shahadat Hossain picked up a career-best 6-27 to help Bangladesh bowl out their mighty rivals for 170 inside 61 overs, a first innings advantage of 22 runs.

The hosts, who made 192 in their first knock, swelled the overall lead to 147, reaching 125-4 at stumps on an already deteriorating pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla Mirpur stadium.

Young Junaid Siddique led the charge with an unbeaten 64 off 158 balls, including five fours, as Bangla raised hopes of only their second ever Test victory.

The opener put on 56 runs for the fourth wicket with captain Mohammad Ashraful (24), who earlier plotted a bizarre dismissal of South African batsman AB de Villiers.

Aftab Ahmed, batting on 13, was giving Siddique company when stumps were drawn for the day amid frowns and creased foreheads in the visiting camp.

Hossain, however, said it was too early to predict the outcome of the match as the wicket was keeping slow and low. The 22-year-old paceman also credited his performance to some solid advice by coach Jamie Siddons. “He asked me to bowl at the right spot as the pitch was not offering much assistance. I did that and got the results.”
Bangladesh, who lost all their previous four Tests to South Africa by innings margins, have won just one of their 51 Tests -- against minnows Zimbabwe.

The South Africans tried to stage a comeback through Dale Steyn (3-38) who cleaned up the Bangladeshi top order in a three-wicket burst.

Opener Tamim Iqbal (2) was done in by a late inswinger while Shahriar Nafees (16) was trapped leg before soon after. Habibul Bashar, the former captain playing in a national record 50th Test, was out leg-before for just two as Bangladesh crashed to 29 for three.

Ashraful then became the first victim of Makhaya Ntini in the match when he edged one behind to Mark Boucher for 24 which included one four and a six.