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Steyn joins 400 club, puts Proteas on top

Steyn joins 400 club, puts Proteas on top

By Agence France Presse

South Africa cricketer Dale Steyn reacts after the dismissal of Bangladesh batsman Mohammad Mahmudullah during the first day of the second cricket Test match between Bangladesh and South Africa at The Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on July 30, 2015. Photo: AFP

Dhaka, July 30 Dale Steyn claimed his 400th Test scalp as he shared six wickets with JP Duminy, giving South Africa the edge on Thursday on the first day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Paceman Steyn claimed 3-30 while off-spinner Duminy took 3-27, as a mini collapse in the final session restricted Bangladesh to 246-8 at stumps. Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim scored the lone half-century for Bangladesh and made a 94-run partnership with Mahmudullah for the fourth wicket after he won the toss and elected to bat. Rahim hit 65 off 125 balls, his 15th Test fifty and first in 12 innings as Bangladesh made slow progress before South Africa took control of the game in the final session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Steyn struck early in the day making opener Tamim Iqbal his 400th Test scalp. The 32-year-old Steyn almost reached the landmark in his second over of the day but Dean Elgar dropped Tamim at second slip. Skipper Hashim Amla made no mistake in Steyn’s next over when he took a chest-high catch at first slip. Shaun Pollock is the only other South African to pass the 400-mark, taking 421 wickets before retiring in 2008. Steyn, who is playing his 80th Test, became the 13th cricketer to take 400 or more wickets in Test matches. He is one of only three currently active cricketers to achieve the feat, joining India spinner Harbhajan Singh and England paceman James Anderson. Duminy struck twice in successive overs following lunch after Mominul Haque and Imrul Kayes had helped Bangladesh stage something of a recovery from the early loss of Tamim. Duminy forced an edge from Mominul for 40, ending the batsman’s 69-run second wicket stand with Kayes. Kayes followed Mominul, who hit six fours off 87 balls, when Duminy struck in his next over, trapping the left-hander leg-before for 30. Mahmudullah was given out lbw on 18 off Steyn but the decision was overturned on review as a replay showed a big inside edge. Steyn later broke his partnership with Rahim as the right-hander flicked a catch to Temba Bavuma at short midwicket after reaching 35. Rahim had been looking solid until occasional left-arm spinner Elgar spun one sharply to take his glove and the ball carried to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas. Elgar then pouched Liton Das at short midwicket as Duminy claimed his third wicket. Shakib Al Hasan edged Morne Morkel to Elgar at gully for 35 before Steyn bowled Mohammad Shahid in the last ball of the day to complete Bangladesh’s misery. South Africa handed wicketkeeper-batsman Vilas a Test debut in the match, replacing Quinton de Kock. The 30-year-old became South Africa’s sixth new cap in the last 18 months. Bangladesh brought back Nasir in place of left-arm spinner Taijul Islam. The first Test ended in a draw after rain washed out last two days.