SA v BAN, 1st Test, Day 5 Review: South Africa butcher the visitors; Home season embarks in style

There ain’t a better way to embark a grand home season with a thumping win, South Africa did exactly that at the Potchefstroom against Bangladesh. With Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla scoring centuries in the first innings, Temba Bavuma and Faf du Plessis saved their side from a short little predicament in the second innings and the bowlers did the rest to collect a 334-run victory.

Bangladesh had a mountain to climb on day 5 to even draw level blood. They were tottering at 49/3 by tea time at day 4 and the rain gods did a little favor to them by abandoning the final session. Nothing so happened on the final day as Mushfiqur Rahim had a huge task cut out and though the hosts lost Morne Morkel early, they had enough weapons in their bowling arsenal to bundle their opponents out in no time.

Kagiso Rabada unleashed!

It all began with the wicket of Mushfiqur Rahim, who was bamboozled with a bouncer off Rabada and Amla’s brilliance in the first slip did the rest. Wickets fell in a flurry post then, as none of the Bangladeshi batters showed any resilience against the fiery bowling contingent of the Proteas.

Rabada was absolutely breathing fire and after a couple of overs, he sent Mahmadullah’s sticks for a ride with a little assistance from the latter’s inside edge. Litton Das too fell in Rabada’s next over and the young speedster broke their backbone inside a short spell. The 22-year-old had a big responsibility on his shoulders with Morne Morkel missing out due to an injury and he reciprocated brilliantly.

Maharaj joins the act as well

Keshav Maharaj was brilliant with his left-arm orthodox spin in the first innings and he once again exhibited a brilliant spell to run through the tail of Bangladesh. Having picked up a wicket on the eventual final ball of day 4, he picked up the prized scalp of Sabbir Rahman just one over after Litton Das walked back.

Bangladesh was 7 down in no time and all they could manage on the scoreboard was just 67. A painful defeat was on cards for the visitors and Maharaj’s deadly little spell completed the job in style for his side.

In the 27th over of the innings, Taskin Ahmed was rapped on the pads off the 27-year-old spinner and the umpire reverted in the hosts’ favor. Taskin went for a review, only to see three reds on the screen and prolong his wait by a couple of minutes. To make South Africa’s things a little easier, Mehidy Hasan and Shafiul Islam attempted an audacious third run which was never there, only to see the latter walk back via a run out.

Mehidy Hasan hit a four and a six to boost his personal confiedence he tried his best to take the scorecard past hundred. That didn’t happen nevertheless as Mustafizur attempted a drive and lofted it straight towards the bowler Maharaj. The game was done with the visitors getting bowled for a paltry 90 runs in 32.4 overs. South Africa take a 1-0 lead in the 2-match series and they literally blew their opponents off on day 5.

Brief Scores

FIRST INNINGS

South Africa: 496/3 declared in 146 overs (Dean Elgar 199, Hashim Amla 134, Aiden Makram 97)

Bangladesh: 320 all out in 89.1 overs (Mominul Haque 77, Mahmudullah 66; Keshav Maharaj 3/92)

SECOND INNINGS

South Africa: 247/6 in 56 overs (Faf du Plessis 81, Temba Bavuma 71; Mominul Haque 3/27)

Bangladesh: 90 all out in 32.4 overs (Keshav Maharaj 4/25, Kagiso Rabada 3/33)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Dean Elgar