Rabada, Maharaj lead South Africa to massive win

Bangladesh lost its last seven wickets for just 41 runs to go down by 333 runs on the fifth and final day of the first Test against South Africa at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom on Monday (October 2).

A combination of the pace of Kagiso Rabada and the spin of Keshav Maharaj ensured that Bangladesh, which started the day on a precarious 49 for 3, could only get to 90 in its second innings while chasing 424, a far cry from the 320 it put up in the first innings.

Rabada set the ball rolling in the morning with the wicket of Mushfiqur Rahim, the Bangladesh captain, by getting him to nick a lifting delivery to Hashim Amla at first slip.

Mahmudullah and Liton Das fell to Rabada cheaply soon after as the paceman returned figures of 3 for 33 from ten overs.

Maharaj took over after that, and ran through the Bangladesh lower middle-order with the wickets of Sabbir Rahman, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman, while Shafiul Islam was run out. The left-arm spinner finished with 4 for 25, having accounted for Imrul Kayes, the top scorer of the innings with 32, on the fourth evening.

South Africa's victory was somewhat overshadowed by an injury to Morne Morkel, the fast bowler who is expected to be out for six weeks because of a side strain. Morkel left the field after bowling just 5.2 overs in the Bangladesh second innings, but had by then dismissed Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque for ducks.

Dean Elgar, who scored 199 in South Africa’s first innings of 496 for 3 declared, was named the man of the match.

The second and final Test of the series will be played at Bloemfontein’s Mangaung Oval from Friday.