Dhaka: Persistent rain has washed out the first session of the fourth day of the first Test between Bangladesh and South Africa at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong.

Lunch time is over, but it is still raining in Chittagong. The forecast for the entire day today and tomorrow, looks extremely bleak, reports CricBuzz. The players haven’t left their hotels, reported ESPNCricinfo.

South Africa were 61/0 in their second innings, trailing by 17 runs, at the end of day three.

It has been raining since 3:00am. Neil Manthorp tweeted: “I can safely safe ‘no play before lunch’ and probably no play before tomorrow...”

Unfortunately, even for tomorrow (25 July) the forecast does not look promising.

At the end of day three, the game was evenly poised. The hosts on the back of fine fifties by Tamim, Mahmudullah and Litton Das got a handy lead.

For the visitors, Dale Steyn and Harmer picked up three wickets apiece. Steyn now is just one wicket short of snaring 400 scalps in Tests.

South Africa were 61-0 in their second innings after bowling out Bangladesh for 326 runs before play was suspended midway through the third session. Openers Stiaan van Zyl and Dean Elgar were unbeaten on 33 and 28 respectively as the visitors trimmed Bangladesh’s first innings lead of 78 runs to 17. Earlier wicketkeeper-batsman Litton Das made 50, his maiden Test 50, after putting on 82 runs in a stand with Shakib Al Hasan (47) for the sixth wicket, as Bangladesh posted their highest Test score against South Africa.

Bangladesh posted that total thanks to fifties from Tamim Iqbal, Mahmdullah and a fine maiden Test fifty by their lower order batsman Litton Das which ensured the 78-run lead. Mohammad Shahid showed that scoring quickly was not impossible, slogging his way to a 19-ball 25 with four fours and a six.