Johannesburg — Although the result suggests this was smooth sailing, it really was anything but for the home team.
Kagiso Rabada and Quinton de Kock delivered performances of the highest class but in between Rabada’s ‘five for’ and De Kock’s blistering innings of 62, Temba Bavuma had to ride a roller-coaster of physician pain and tactical management to a series-tying victory.
The South African captain led a side with three changes to the one that lost the first match, but his bowling resources — on paper at least — were limited to five.
ALSO READ: Kagiso Rabada takes five for Proteas as Bangladesh restricted to 194
Initially it didn’t matter. Rabada was magnificent in an opening burst of seven overs that brought him three wickets. With Lungi Ngidi, delivering a much better performance than he did last Friday, and Wayne Parnell, called into the starting XI in place of Andile Phehlukwayo, claiming a wicket each, Bangladesh were reduced to 34/5 in the 13th over.
That’s when the trouble started. Parnell pulled up clutching his left hamstring as he ran in to bowl the last ball of his third over. He left the field never to return again. Bavuma completed that over and then proceeded to continue bowling. With Aiden Markram also dropped as De Kock returned from illness, Bavuma had to continue with his medium pacers. He did an excellent job, maintaining a straight stump to stump line, while his length was good enough to draw the touring team’s batters forward.
He conceded just three fours, and in total his 6.1 overs went for just 22 runs. The problem was he needed to bowl an extra over. That didn’t happen because in trying to stop a single off his bowling, he dived into Mehidy Hassan and injured his bowling hand.
🚨RESULT | #PROTEAS WON BY 7 WICKETS
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) March 20, 2022
A composed Kyle Verreynne (58*) and a typical Quinton de Kock (62) innings backed up Kagiso Rabada's bowling performance to level the series at 1-1👏 #SAvBAN #BetwayPinkODI #BePartOfIt | @Betway_za pic.twitter.com/2cX5jF0UVy
Bavuma had hoped that with Rabada and Ngidi each having three overs to bowl, he might get away with them bowling Bangladesh out. The tourists thanks to Mahmudullah (25 off 44 balls), Afif Hossain with an impressive 72 off 107 balls and Mehidy’s 38 off 49 balls, had fought back superbly, helped by the fact that they didn’t have to face more overs from Parnell and that Keshav Maharaj was struggling with this rhythm.
Thankfully for Bavuma, who had to leave the field for a couple of overs, Rabada’s second spell provided those crucial late breakthroughs, as he dismissed both Afif and Mehidy in his last over.
Still, Bavuma had to call on Rassie van der Dussen, who having received the instruction that he’d be bowling the 49th over, engaged in a lively warming up routine, followed by some flighty off-spin. It garnered a wicket too with the tail-ender Shoriful Islam slogging the second ball of the over to Markram — on as a substitute — at long-on. Van der Dussen’s celebration of his first international wicket was disappointingly understated.
In total that ‘needs must’ fifth bowler combination conceded 31 runs in 10 overs while picking up two wickets.
ALSO READ: Bangladesh win toss and bat, Proteas make three changes
Rabada finished with a second ODI ‘five-for’ taking 5/39, reward for making very good use of conditions, which with the new ball especially, were lively. His first three wickets, Tamim Iqbal, Litton Das and Shakib Al-Hasan were all dismissed with deliveries that bounced more than the batters had anticipated.
De Kock delivered a glittering array of breathtaking stroke play on his way to a wonderful 62 off 41 balls, hitting nine fours and two sixes. Kyle Verreynne made a neat 58 not out — his fourth ODI half-century in just his ninth innings — hitting four fours and two sixes
All in all this was an outstanding response by the Proteas to that flat performance at SuperSport Park. The bowlers delivered with far greater energy, the fielding was largely good, although three dropped catches, including two sitters by Janneman Malan, means this wasn’t the perfect display.
The third and deciding match of the series will be played back at SuperSport Park on Wednesday.
SCORECARD
Bangladesh 194/9
South Africa 195/3
SA won by 7 wickets
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