Bangladesh leg spinner Mohammad Rafique delivered the best performance of his career to help restrict South Africa to 264 for six at the close on day one of the second Test on Thursday.

The left-arm spinner took four for 59, the third best Test figures by a Bangladeshi, after South Africa won the toss and chose to bat in search of their second win of the series.

The tourists' batsmen struggled to come to terms with a bare pitch offering turn and inconsistent bounce until Jacques Rudolph and Mark Boucher, who each made 71, shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 107.

Both fell to rash shots, Rudolph losing his wicket for the first time in Tests following his unbeaten 222 on debut in the opening match of the series, but their stand pulled the South Africans round from the precarious position of 63 for four shortly after lunch.

Openers Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs began solidly before captain Smith, on 15, pulled a delivery from seamer Tapash Baisya straight to Mohammad Ashraful 20 metres in from the square leg boundary.

Gibbs scored 21 before driving loosely at a ball from Rafique to give Baisya at mid-on a simple catch.

Boeta Dippenaar fell for one to what became the last ball before lunch, prodding a catch to Mehrab Hossain at silly point.In the fourth over after lunch Neil McKenzie played back to Rafique and was trapped lbw for seven. Rudolph and Boucher initially took few risks, gathering runs efficiently and working the ball all around the wicket.

Wicketkeeper Mohammad Salim wasted a chance to stump Boucher for seven with the total on 82 off Ashraful, but the pair were finally separated three overs after tea when Rudolph advanced down the pitch to a turning Ashraful leg break and was easily stumped.

An hour later Boucher tried to give himself room to cut a delivery  from Rafique and was bowled.Shaun Pollock, who was 41 not out, and debutant Robin Peterson, on 15, added 45 in a stabilising unbroken stand for the seventh wicket.