Magical Maharaj destroys Bangladesh
The king of Kingsmead, Keshav Maharaj, took 7/32 – only the second SA spinner after Hugh Tayfield to achieve the feat in his home country – to help South Africa wrap up the first Betway test against Bangladesh by 220 runs in just 55 minutes and 13 overs on the fifth and final morning in Durban on Monday.
Bangladesh’s total of 53 in 19 overs in their second innings is their lowest ever, and the lowest ever made in a test match at Kingsmead, beating the total of 66 made by India in the Boxing Day test of 1996/7. South Africa now lead the two-match series 1-0 with the second match starting at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Friday.
In an amazing spell of bowling, Maharaj rushed to his five-wicket haul in 35 balls as the Bangladesh batting simply disintegrated in front of a small crowd of appreciative spectators at a cloudy Kingsmead. Maharaj may not have got the record for the quickest five-wicket haul - that goes to Jacques Kallis who took five wickets in 12 balls, also against Bangladesh, at Potchefstroom in October 2002 – but his feat earned him the player of the match award and a welcome victory for his team after the disappointment of losing the ODI series.
Maharaj was well supported by offspinner Simon Harmer who claimed the remaining wickets in the innings, taking 3/21 in nine overs. Both men took seven wickets in the match and it was the first time South Africa bowled out a team in a test match using only two bowlers. The two spinners’ full figures bear recording: Maharaj 10-0-32-7 and Harmer 9-3-21-3.
South Africa’s captain, Dean Elgar, was full of praise for his two destroyers in chief. “Conditions usually force our hand on the highveld and we use just the one spinner. But it was awesome to see the guys bowling in tandem, having the ball on a string and absolutely dominating.
“It was great to see them competing at such high levels. I think most batting line-ups would have had a tough time against them. Even if the IPL pace bowlers were in the side, Kesh and Simon would have bowled most of our overs.”
It was the third win in 11 matches for the Proteas at Kingsmead since 2008 so perhaps this is the start of a new love affair between the national side and Durban.
FIFTH BALL STRIKES
Bangladesh resumed their second innings on 11 for three, chasing a distant 274 for victory. Any remote hopes of that happening disappeared in Maharaj’s first over when he trapped Mushfiqur Rahim leg before with his fifth ball. Liton Das followed in Maharaj’s next over when he tamely chipped an on-drive to Harmer at wide mid-on.
The best delivery for reserved for the right-handed Yasir Ali in Maharaj’s next over. The ball drifted in from off-to leg, pitching on Ali’s middle-stump before turning away and uprooting his off-stump. In Ali’s defence, he didn’t do a lot wrong, it was simply a world-class delivery.
It was now time for Harmer to get in on the act as he found the edge of Mehedi Miraz’s bat as he pushed forward, with Keegan Petersen taking a low catch at slip. That made the score 33 for seven after just six overs.
Meanwhile, Nazmul Shanto was attempting some defiance, striking a four and a six in his 26 before he tried another aggressive stroke against Harmer and was neatly stumped by Kyle Verreynne. Khaled Ahmed followed quickly, lofting a slog to Lizaad Williams at midwicket and Maharaj’s seventh victim was Taskin Ahmed – only the second batter to reach double figures – who edged to Wiaan Mulder at slip.
The Kingsmead pitch came out of the match well with former great Shaun Pollock calling it the "best track we've had this summer. It's been very fair to the pace bowlers, spinners and batsmen alike. I've been very impressed."
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SOUTH AFRICA: Dean Elgar (capt), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Temba Bavuma, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Lizaad Williams, Duanne Olivier
BANGLADESH: Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque (capt), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (wk), Yasir Ali, Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain
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