Maharaj, Harmer strike late to halt Bangladesh fight back

Bangladesh fought back on an overcast morning as the Proteas then struck twice before lunch on the third day of the second Test at St George's Park.

The tourists are 210/7 at the interval with a deficit of 243 still to make up. 

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After resuming on 139/5, Bangladesh clawed their way back into the Test match before two wickets once again gave South Africa control.

The start of play was delayed by 20 minutes after a passing shower saw the covers brought out at St George's Park.

Yasir Ali got Bangladesh off to a stunning start after hitting a hat-trick of boundaries in the first over as he put on a splendid 70-run partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim.

It left the Proteas frustrated, although there was plenty of movement from both ends for the quick bowlers and turn for the spinners.

Despite the early flurry of boundaries, the Bangladesh duo were prepared to bide their time and wait for the poor deliveries on a tricky pitch.

Bangladesh added 53 runs to their overnight total before spinner Keshav Maharaj secured the breakthrough in the 60th over.

Two balls prior to Maharaj's wicket, a loud LBW shout from South Africa was sent upstairs by skipper Dean Elgar after Marais Erasmus initially said not out. Ball-tracking, however, showed it pitching outside leg.

Maharaj finally got his man as Ali hit a return catch to the Proteas spinner, who managed to hold on despite not taking it cleanly at first. 

Ali departed for a well-played 46 off 87 balls, which included seven fours.

That brought Mehidy Hasan Miraz to the middle.

Rahim  went on to bring up his 25th Test half-century off 134 balls but soon perished after achieving the milestone and just before the stroke of lunch as he tried to reverse sweep a