DHAKA: Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada took six second-innings wickets as South Africa won the first test against Bangladesh by seven wickets on Thursday, wrapping up victory before lunch on the fourth day at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
South Africa reached their target as they scored 106 for three wickets in the second innings, with 41 coming from opener Tony de Zorzi and an unbeaten 30 runs from Tristan Stubbs seeing them home.
Rabada took two wickets early on the fourth day to finish with figures of 6-46, in a match in which he celebrated passing 300 test wickets, as Bangladesh were dismissed for 307 in their second innings.
The home side had fought their way back into the contest on the third day to take an 81-run lead as they were 283-7 overnight but with only three wickets in hand were always under threat as they came out to face the second new ball on Thursday.
South Africa’s pacemen quickly cleaned up the tail, denying middle order batsman Mehidy Hasan Miraz a test ton as he was the last wicket to fall, dismissed for 97, slicing Rabada to Wiaan Mulder at third slip.
It left South Africa a modest target to chase with plenty of time in hand and they took 22 overs to ensure the win.
Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam took 3-43 to add to his five wickets in the first innings.
“It was a really good performance,” said winning captain Aiden Markram. “We put four days of good cricket together and the bowlers set the game up beautifully for us the first day.”
Bangladesh, who had won the toss and chose to bat, were steamrolled for 106 on the opening day, allowing South Africa to go on and build a 202-run first-innings lead.
“We had a great lead although credit to Bangladesh, who made it tough for us in the second innings,” Markram added.
The teams meet in the second test in Chittagong, starting on Tuesday.
