Twitter Reactions: Keshav Maharaj's 7-fer skittles Bangladesh for 53 as South Africa win 1st Test by 220 runs

Bangladesh succumbed to spin in their second innings with Simon Harmer also picking three wickets.

By Karthik Nair

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Keshav Maharaj
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Keshav Maharaj. (Photo by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

South Africa got the better of Bangladesh by a comprehensive margin of 220 runs in the first Test match at the Kingsmead in Durban. The Proteas made the most of their home conditions just when it appeared that a relatively inexperienced side would struggle without the availability of many key players.

However, a determined South African unit led by a fighting captain Dean Elgar leading from the front ensured that they not only showcased an outstanding performance but also ended up on the winning side. Despite fielding a depleted side, the hosts did not lack any firepower as Bangladesh found them too hard to handle in the series opener.

Bangladesh bundled out cheaply in their second innings

The coin had landed in the favor of Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque and he decided to bowl first. It was a good toss to lose for South Africa as vital knocks of 67 from skipper Elgar and 93 from Temba Bavuma helped them post a challenging 367. The visitors in reply were bundled out for 298 despite an outstanding 137 from opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy.

Thus, with a 69-run first innings lead, the Proteas eyed a mammoth second innings score to set a match-winning total for the opposition. Nonetheless, the batters did struggle a bit with the wicket supposedly getting difficult for batting as the contest progressed. Elgar once again came to the rescue with the bat and was the team’s only half-centurion in the innings. His patient knock of 64 runs from 103 deliveries took South Africa to 204 as they set Bangladesh a target of 274 runs on a tricky surface.

Unfortunately, none of the batters from the visiting side managed to show any resistance as the Proteas bowlers kept on derailing their chase by picking up wickets at regular intervals. Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer spun a web as surprisingly, Bangladesh succumbed to spin.

Barring 26 and 14 from the number three batter Najmul Hossain Shanto and tail-ender Taskin Ahmed respectively, the rest of the players got out for single-digit scores that also included four ducks as the visitors were skittled for just 53 runs and South Africa took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj was adjudged the Man of the Match for his outstanding figures of 7/32. The two teams will next be seen in action in the second and final Test match that will be played at Port Elizabeth from April 8.

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