Du Plessis injury spoils Proteas sweep
DU PLESSIS RETIRED HURT ON 91 AND HAD TO BE HELPED OFF THE FIELD WITH AN ACUTE BACK STRAIN AND TOOK NO FURTHER PART
EASTLONDON: An injury to captain Faf du Plessis took some of the gloss off a comprehensive South African win in the third and final ODI against Bangladesh at Buffalo Park on Sunday.
Du Plessis retired hurt on 91 and had to be helped off the field with an acute lower back strain and took no further part in the match as South Africa completed a series clean sweep, winning by 200 runs. Du Plessis looked set for a ninth ODI century before he pulled up as he turned for a second run. He had to be helped off the field. He hit ten fours and a six and only faced 67 balls.
He was withdrawn from the two-match Twenty20 international series which will complete what has been a dismal tour by Bangladesh. Du Plessis was the top scorer in South Africa’s 369 for six, their highest one-day total against Bangladesh and the highest total at the ground. Bangladesh were bowled out for 169.
It was another humiliating defeat for Bangladesh, who suffered defeats by ten wickets and 104 runs in the first two matches.
Bangladesh were hit by injuries, notably to leading bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who missed all three matches, and opening batsman Tamim Iqbal, who only played in one game.
“It was a big blow but we can’t make any excuses,” said captain Mashrafe Mortaza.
Mortaza said the failure of his bowlers to take wickets in South African conditions had been a major problem, while the batsmen had also failed, particularly on Sunday. “It was a brilliant wicket for batting,” he said.
The match was over quickly as Bangladesh lost their first five wickets for 61. There was a brief fightback as Shakib Al Hasan (63) and Sabbir Rahman (39) put on 67 for the sixth wicket before both fell to part-time off-spinner Aiden Markram who had scored 66.
Brief scores: South Africa 369/6 in 50 overs (F du Plessis 91, Q de Kock 73, A Markram 66) beat Bangladesh 169 all out (Shakib 63) by 200 runs.