Wounded Tigers aim to hit back in final Test after Kingsmead humiliation

By Sports Desk April 06, 2022

There could be plenty of spice at St George's Park as South Africa eye a Test series whitewash of Bangladesh.

Keshav Maharaj claimed outstanding figures of 7-32 as the Proteas bowled the tourists out for an embarrassing 53 on the final day to win the first Test by 220 runs.

That was the Tigers' second-lowest total in the longest format, Simon Harmer taking 3-21 in an innings that lasted just 19 overs.

Wounded Bangladesh revealed they would lodge a complaint with the ICC over the standard of umpiring from Adrian Holdstock and Marais Erasmus and alleged "deplorable" sledging from South Africa in Durban.

They will be without injured duo Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam in a second Test that starts on Thursday when they attempt to salvage a 1-1 draw in Port Elizabeth.

Although the batters failed miserably on the last day, Tigers fast bowling coach Allan Donald, the legendary former South Africa quick, felt the Bangladesh bowlers gave an excellent account of themselves.

He said: "I think the Bangladesh seamers can be very proud of the way they conducted themselves in the first Test.

"I think we were feeling our way into it a little bit. Once we settled down, it was very good. We spoke about bowling in partnerships. It was a fantastic performance from all the seamers. The way Khaled [Ahmed] got into the team, the way Ebadot [Hossain] bowled.

"It was even better in the second innings. I felt we bowled like a Test unit. The run rate went down from 3.7 to 2.5. The way we took wickets at crucial times in that second innings to restrict South Africa to 273.

"I am very proud of the seamers. They kept coming all day long to keep the pressure up. If you are looking for a recipe for success, it doesn't change here in St George's Park."

 

Proteas due St George's Park win

South Africa had been unbeaten in six Tests at St George’s Park, but have suffered back-to-back defeats since that run.

Bangladesh will have to make history in order to extend that losing run to three Tests, as they have not beaten the Proteas in 13 attempts in the longest format.

Resurgent South Africa have won four of their past five Tests, including each of their last two. The last time they won more than two consecutive matches in the format was a three-game span from December 2018 to January 2019.

Tigers must show their teeth with the bat

The tourists were humiliated on the last day of the opening Test, miserably failing a trial by spin.

Najmul Hossain Shanto (26) and Taskin (14) were the only batters to make double figures, with four departing without scoring.

Mominul Haque's side have not had much time to regroup, but they must show more resilience in order to avoid another emphatic defeat.

Related items

  • Windies fall short as Salt's unbeaten century guides England to eight-wicket win in record chase Windies fall short as Salt's unbeaten century guides England to eight-wicket win in record chase

    England once again showcased their firepower in securing an eight-wicket victory over West Indies in the first of their five T20 internationals, thanks largely to Phil Salt’s brutal unbeaten century in what was a thrilling contest at Kensington Oval on Saturday.

    Salt’s blistering 103 off 54 balls, which featured nine boundaries and two sixes, set the stage for England’s successful pursuit of the 182-9 set by West Indies—the highest run chase ever achieved at the venue—as they comfortably got to 183-2 with 19 balls to spare.

    He was well supported by Jacob Bethell, who carved out his maiden T20 half-century, finishing with a splendid 58 off 36 deliveries in what was a deeply meaningful knock.

    Bethell, 21, became the youngest player to reach this milestone in this format for England, at a venue close to his heart as he spent his early years in Barbados.

    Scores: West Indies 182-9 (20 overs); England 183-2 (16.5 overs)

    Sent in to bat first, West Indies struggled early, with wickets tumbling at regular intervals. Seamer Saqib Mahmood dismantled the top order as he accounted for Brandon King (3), Evin Lewis (13), and Shimron Hetmyer (zero), while spinner Adil Rashid snared the scalps of captain Rovman Powell (18) and Sherfane Rutherford (two) to leave the Caribbean side 69-5 in the ninth over.

    However, Andre Russell smashed four sixes in a 17-ball 30, and Nicholas Pooran (38) initiated a gritty recovery, putting together a 39-run partnership that began to stabilize the innings. Pooran had two sixes and three fours in his 29-ball knock.

    When both fell in quick succession, Romario Shepherd, who was left unbeaten on 35, and Gudakesh Motie (33) came to the rescue with an invaluable 49-run stand for the ninth wicket, which boosted West Indies to a respectable 182-9.

    Motie used 14 balls for his knock, which had four boundaries and two sixes, while Shepherd had three fours and two sixes in his 22-ball innings.

    Mahmood ended with 4-34, and Rashid (3-32).

    Despite the late fightback, West Indies’ total was put into perspective by Salt’s heroics. His century marked his third against the Caribbean side and proved to be a masterclass in chasing under pressure.

    Salt, along with opening partner Will Jacks (17), added a solid 73 runs before the latter was cleaned up by Motie. The defining moment, however, was the seamless 107-run partnership with Bethell, as the two took West Indies bowlers to task to seal a comprehensive win.

    The second encounter is scheduled for Sunday, as West Indies will be looking to regroup and rebound to level the series.

  • Angers 2-4 Paris Saint-Germain: Lee and Barcola bag braces as Enrique's side restore six-point lead Angers 2-4 Paris Saint-Germain: Lee and Barcola bag braces as Enrique's side restore six-point lead

    Paris Saint-Germain restored their six-point lead at the Ligue 1 summit with a 4-2 victory over Angers.

    Luis Enrique's side did the damage in the first half at Stade Raymond Kopa, with Lee Kang-In and Bradley Barcola both scoring twice to extend their unbeaten start to the season.

    PSG broke through in the 17th minute through Lee, who doubled his and the visitors' tally when he turned in Marco Asensio's low cross three minutes later.

    Asensio was the provider again as the Ligue 1 leaders made it 3-0 just after the hour mark, with his centre diverted in by Barcola.

    The latter grabbed his second just before half-time when he headed in from Lee's cross.

    Angers made the scoreline more respectable in stoppage time, with Esteban Lepaul and Emmanuel Biumla halving the deficit for the hosts.

    Data Debrief: PSG make it 30 unbeaten on the road

    Now unbeaten in 30 away Ligue 1 matches, PSG are the first team in the top five European leagues to reach that mark since Napoli in 2018.

    Lee scored his first brace for the club, while Asensio assisted two goals in the same league match for the first time since doing so for Espanyol against Real Betis in October 2015 (three).

    Although, it was not all plain sailing for PSG, who conceded two goals in second-half stoppage time for only the second time in their history (also against Barcelona in the 2016-17 Champions League).

    As for Angers, they have become the first team in Ligue 1 history to lose 15 successive matches against the same opponent.

  • Juventus 2-0 Torino: Weah and Yildiz lift Bianconeri to third after Derby della Mole victory Juventus 2-0 Torino: Weah and Yildiz lift Bianconeri to third after Derby della Mole victory

    Juventus climbed to third place in Serie A following a 2-0 victory over rivals Torino at the Allianz Stadium.

    A goal in either half from Timothy Weah and Kenan Yildiz settled the Derby della Mole, and saw Thiago Motta's side extend their unbeaten start to the league season.

    The Bianconeri broke through in the 18th minute when Vanja Milinkovic-Savic spilt a shot straight to Weah, who made no mistake from close range.

    Weah thought he had doubled the lead in the 72nd minute, but the USA international was penalised for handball in the build-up to the opportunity.

    However, Juve did put the contest to bed six minutes from time, when Yildiz nodded in Francisco Conceicao's deep cross at the far post.

    Extending their unbeaten streak against Torino to 18 matches, Motta's side moved to within a point of Serie A leaders Napoli.

    Data Debrief: Bianconeri extend unbeaten start with yet another clean sheet

    Juventus have now registered nine clean sheets in Serie A this season, the most by any team in the big five European leagues.

    Weah got the ball rolling, as he became the second American after Weston McKennie in December 2020 to score for the Bianconeri against Torino in Serie A.

    Yildiz then sealed the victory. The 19-year-old became the third-youngest Juventus player to find the net in the Derby della Mole, after Felice Placido Borel (18 years and 243 days in 1932) and Bruno Nicole (18 years and 244 days in 1958).

    Meanwhile, Torino have now suffered three successive defeats without scoring in Serie A for the first time since 2014.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.