SA rips through B’desh, win Test
POTCHEFSTROOM: South Africa ripped through Bangladesh to win the first Test by 333 runs on Monday, taking seven wickets for 41 runs at the start of Day 5 as the tourists were all out for 90. Spinner Keshav Maharaj and quick bowler Kagiso Rabada took three wickets each on the final morning, and South Africa didn’t miss injured bowler Morne Morkel.
Bangladesh, facing an imposing target of 424 to win the game, were bowled out for their joint fifth-lowest total in Tests and their lowest in the fourth innings.
South Africa took a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series and continue their record of having never lost a Test against Bangladesh. The Proteas also delivered a strong victory to start a home season when they will face bigger challenges against India and Australia. It was the first game in charge for coach Ottis Gibson.
“First outing of the season, very very happy,” South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said. “We expected it to be a little bit tougher with the wicket being very good still.”
South Africa were dominant in the game at Senwes Park from the beginning, when Bangladesh won the toss and surprisingly asked South Africa to bat first on a good pitch. South Africa took advantage, racked up 496-3 declared in their first innings with 199 from Dean Elgar and 137 from Hashim Amla, and was always in control after that. “We didn’t think the wicket would be flat like that. But still I thought our bowlers in the first innings let us down,” Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim said. “In the second innings we didn’t show our character, show our fight, so that’s very disappointing for me.”
MORKEL OUT
South African fast bowler Morne Morkel is likely to be out of action for up to six weeks with an abdominal tear, team manager and doctor Mohammed Moosajee said on Monday. Morkel’s injury adds to a long list of injured South African fast bowlers, with Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Chris Morris already out of action for extended periods.
Moosajee said that a scan had revealed that Morkel suffered a grade two abdominal tear during the match and would be sidelined for between four and six weeks. Brief scores: South Africa 496-3 decl and 247-6 decl (Du Plessis 81, Bavuma 71; Mominul 3-27), bt Bangladesh 320 (Mominul 77, Mahmudullah 66; Keshav Maharaj 3-92) and 90 (Imrul Kayes 32; Maharaj 4-25, Kagiso Rabada 3-33).