CHATTOGRAM, Bangladesh: South Africa beat Bangladesh by an innings and 273 runs inside three days and swept the two-test series on Thursday.
The series victory was South Africa’s first in Asia since 2008.
Bangladesh lost 16 wickets on day three and fell to its second worst defeat, behind the innings and 310 runs loss to West Indies in 2002.
In reply to South Africa’s 575-6 declared, Bangladesh was all out for 159 just after lunch, forced to follow on, and bowled out again for 143 in 44 overs.
Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada took 5-37 in the first innings and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj 5-59 in the second innings. Left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy grabbed a career-best 4-45 in his fourth test to play a perfect foil to Maharaj.
South Africa won the first test in Mirpur last week by seven wickets for its first victory on the subcontinent since 2014. It earned its biggest innings win ever in Chattogram.
“We played some really good cricket, considering the conditions we are not used to,” South Africa stand-in captain Aiden Markram said.
He praised Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs and Wiaan Mulder for their maiden test centuries and the bowlers.
“That was special,” Markram said. “The three of them, to get stuck in when it was tough to score at times … to get the team in a strong position, was immense. Taking wickets with the new ball, no matter where you play, is important. KG was special. Then others made the impact.”
Resuming the day at 38-4, Bangladesh was reduced to 48-8 with Rabada grabbing his 15th five-for in tests.
A 103-run ninth-wicket partnership between Mominul Haque and Taijul Islam delayed the inevitable. Mominul made a team-best 82 and Taijul 30.
Leading by 416 runs on the first innings, South Africa enforced the follow-on and its bowlers justified the decision by wrapping up Bangladesh in less than two sessions.
No. 10 batter Hasan Mahmud was 38 not out and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto scored 36.
But the Bangladesh batters’ injudicious shots led to their downfall.
After negotiating Rabada (7-1-17-0) with some luck in the second innings, Bangladesh crumbled against spin.
Rabada’s new ball partner, Dane Paterson, struck first. Shadman Islam chased a delivery outside off to edge behind on 6. He was similarly dismissed in the first innings for a duck.
Muthusamy got the outside edge of the other opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy for 11.
Mominul Haque fought in the first innings for 82, but coming to bat for the second time in less than 30 minutes, he was removed for a duck while trying to dominate Maharaj.
Muthusamy extended Mushfiqur Rahim’s lean patch by trapping him leg before on 2. After an epic 191 against Pakistan in August, Mushfiqur Rahim has gone 10 innings without a half-century.
Shanto counterattacked but Muthusamy and Maharaj continued chipping away with wickets to leave Bangladesh in danger of being all out for less than 100.
Muthusamy baffled Shanto with a delivery that spun sharply to take the inside edge.
Debutant Mahidul Islam scored 29 and Hasan Mahmud played some big shots to help Bangladesh go past 100.
But Maharaj dismissed Mahidul and Nahid Rana in quick succession to complete his 10th test five-for and wrap up Bangladesh.
“They played very good cricket,” Shanto said. “Very disappointed how we played. We need to improve a lot of things, mental and skill wise.”
