South Africa clinched a convincing seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first of the two-Test series, wrapping the game up inside the first session on Day 4 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur today.
The win marks South Africa's first Test win in Asia since July 2014 when they last beat Sri Lanka by 153 runs at Galle. It also snaps the Proteas's nine-match losing streak in Asia. They also did not win a Test in their last 14 matches in Asia.
Set a meagre 106-run target to win, the Proteas got off to a decent start, thanks to a 42-run opening stand between stand-in skipper Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi.
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam was the pick of the bowlers for the Tigers today, picking up all three wickets to fall on the day. He set Markram up to get one delivery to hold its line and get through the gates of the right-handed batter, sending the Proteas' stand-in skipper back following a 27-ball 20.
De Zorzi then charged Taijul for a maximum and could only manage to get caught by Hasan Mahmud at long-on. He departed after a 52-ball 41.
Taijul then had the right-handed David Bedingham (12 off 13) edge one back to the wicketkeeper with a turning delivery.
However, the wickets came too late for the Tigers as South Africa never looked a little bit troubled in their chase of a small target. Tristan Stubbs remained unbeaten on 30 off 37 deliveries while Ryan Rickelton scored one off three not out to see the Proteas get over the finish line with ease.
Earlier, having resumed on 283 for seven, Bangladesh batters were only able to survive 29 deliveries as South Africa opted for a new cherry at the very beginning of an overcast day in Dhaka.
Pacers Kagiso Rabada claimed the wickets of Mehedi Hasan Miraz, denying him a second Test ton as he was caught at slip following a 191-ball 97, and Nayeem Hasan while Wiaan Mulder accounted for the wicket of Taijul.
Rabada finished with figures of six for 46, claiming his 15th Test fifer.
Top order meltdowns in both innings was the main reason behind the Tigers' loss this game. Bangladesh were bundled out for just 106 in the first innings while a ninety-odd run knock from Miraz and a maiden Test fifty from Jaker Ali in their second innings helped the Tigers avoid the humiliation of an innings defeat and set a small target to South Africa, who made 308 in their first innings following a century by Kyle Verreynne and a maiden Test half-century from Wiaan Mulder.
With the ball, Rabada shone for the visitors with a match-haul of nine wickets while Taijul got a fifer in the first innings and ended up taking a total of eight wickets in the game.
Taijul removes Markram, De Zorzi but SA cruise along toward 106-run target
South Africa got off to a decent start in their chase of a meagre 106-run target before Taijul Islam managed to remove the Proteas' openers -- stand-in skipper Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi -- in the first session on Day 4 of their first of two-Test series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
Taijul set up Markram nicely to get through the gates of the right-hander in the 10th over of the visitors' second innings. Having the ball to turn away the previous delivery, Taijul had the next one hold its line as it beat Markram's inside edge to rattle his stumps. Markram, standing in for regular skipper Temba Bavuma in the first Test, had to depart after a 27-ball 20. The wicket also ended a 42-run opening stand between Markram and Tony de Zorzi.
Taijul also got the scalp of De Zorzi soon when the left-arm spinner had the left-handed batter charge one down to give a straightforward catch to Hasan Mahmud at long on. De Zorzi departed after a 52-ball 41.
The wickets of Markram and De Zorzi, however, might have just come too late for the Tigers as the visitors now look all set to clinch victory in the game. South Africa reached 84 for two after 17 overs, needing just 23 more runs to win.
Miraz misses out on ton as Tigers bundled out for 307 to set Proteas 106-run target
Bangladesh's Mehedi Hasan Miraz was left three runs short of what would have been his second Test ton as the Tigers were bundled out for 307 after 89.5 overs in their second innings early on Day 4 of their first Test against South Africa at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur today.
The Tigers have set a 106-run target.
It took South Africa just 29 deliveries to wrap things up on the fourth day as the visitors' pacers Kagiso Rabada and Wiaan Mulder wasted no time in scalping the final three wickets. Having started with a new cherry on an overcast day, Rabada first had Nayeem (16 off 29) trapped in front with just the third delivery.
Just two overs after Nayeem's departure, South Africa pacer Wiaan Mulder had left-handed batter Taijul Islam edge one back to the slip cordon. Taijul departed after a run-a-ball seven.
Miraz, who helped the Tigers fight in the game with a 191-ball 97, was the last to depart when he steered a Rabada delivery back to slip. Rabada claimed his 15th Test fifier, finishing with figures of six for 46 in 17.5 overs.
Ban v SA, First Test, Day 4: Nayeem, Taijul depart early
Having started with the new ball on Day 4 of the first Test, South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada removed Bangladesh's overnight batter Nayeem Hasan with just the third ball of the day at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
A length ball outside off from Rabada came inwards and kept low to hit the right-handed Nayeem. The umpire had no trouble in giving his verdict as the Tigers got reduced to 288 for eight after 86 overs in the second innings.
Nayeem had to depart after a well-made 29-ball 16 as Rabada claimed his 15th Test fifer. The wicket also ended a 38-run eighth-wicket stand between Nayeem and Mehedi Hasan Miraz, who remains just three runs away from his second Test ton.
Just two overs after Nayeem's departure, South Africa pacer Wiaan Mulder had left-handed batter Taijul Islam edge one back to the slip cordon. Taijul departed after a run-a-ball seven.
