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DAY 4: South Africa cruise to seven-wicket win in Bangladesh test

olympics24 October 2024 07:16| © MWP
By:Patrick Compton
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The Proteas clinched a seven-wicket win in the first test against Bangladesh – their first win on the Asian subcontinent since 2014 – just before lunch on the fourth day in Mirpur on Thursday.

Skipper Aiden Markram was delighted with the win. “It was a really good performance because it’s so tough in these conditions. The key was getting those 10 poles so quickly in Bangladesh’s first innings. Once you’ve got a big lead (202) on the first innings out here it’s really tough for the opposition to get back into it.”

Markram admitted that it was “a good toss to lose” after he said he would have batted first if he had won the toss. As it turned out, 16 wickets fell on the first day with the pitch hugely assisting the bowlers.

He praised all his bowlers, particularly Rabada (“he’s been doing this for us for a long time”) and noted that Verreynne’s hundred was a “really spectacular achievement in these conditions”.

“Even though we won the match, we have had some good experience and there will be lessons to learn before the next test.”

Needing 106 for victory after they dismissed Bangladesh for 307 in their second innings, the visitors went after the runs with positive intent, clinching victory on the stroke of lunch in just 22 overs.

Bangladesh began the day on 283 for seven wickets with batting hero Mehidy Miraz unbeaten on 87 and hoping to stretch their overall lead close to the 150 mark.

As it turned out, South Africa’s master paceman, Rabada, put paid to that notion with the third ball of his opening over with the second new ball when he trapped Nayeem Hasan leg before with a delivery that kept a little low. Wiaan Mulder then claimed the scalp of new batter Taijul Islam who edged a drive to Tristan Stubbs in the slips before Rabada got the key wicket of Miraz, on 97, who tried to guide a short-pitched delivery over the slips for the boundary that would have brought him a century, but only succeeded in deflecting it to Mulder who clung onto a good catch in the slips.

Miraz was unfortunate not to get the century that was his due after a superb rearguard innings that spanned 191 balls.

As it was, Bangladesh reached 307 in 89.5 overs in their second innings as South Africa claimed the final three wickets in 4.5 overs at a cost of 24 runs.

Openers Markram and Tony de Zorzi set the tone for an aggressive run chase right from the start. Markram crashed four boundaries in his 20 in 27 balls before being bowled through the gate by Bangladesh’s bowling hero, Taijul Islam, who also claimed the wicket of David Bedingham with the perfect left-arm spinner’s dismissal as the batter edged a turning delivery to wicketkeeper Litton Das. Taijul grabbed seven wickets in the match and went past 200 wickets in test cricket.

Tony de Zorzi (41 in 52 balls, including seven fours) nearly took South Africa home but he holed out in the deep so it was left to Tristan Stubbs to complete the win with an unbeaten 30 in 37 balls, including four fours and a huge on-driven six.

The match was essentially won and lost in the Bangladesh first innings after they won the toss and were skittled for 106 with Rabada, Mulder and Keshav Maharaj each claiming three wickets. Rabada underlined his contribution by achieving an outstanding landmark of getting 300 wickets in tests in the fewest number of balls (11817). He was also the only bowler to do that with a strike rate of under 40 (39.39).

He then went on to claim 6/46 in Bangladesh’s second innings for a match haul of nine.

Kyle Verreynne was made man of the match for his 114 in South Africa’s first innings, with he and Mulder rescuing the Proteas from the depths of 112 for six with a century partnership.

Speaking after the match, Verreynne said: “It was my first test on the subcontinent but all the guys were feeling very confident going into the game after some good preparation. It was a case of staying nice and positive and taking the right options. Batting here was all about building good partnerships and Wiaan (Mulder) and Dane Piedt played a big part in helping me and the team to that total (308).”

BANGLADESH: Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud

SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (capt), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Ryan Rickelton, Matthew Breetzke, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Piedt

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