Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer make history as Proteas spin web around Bangladesh

Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj celebrates a wicket against Bangladesh. Picture: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj celebrates a wicket against Bangladesh. Picture: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Published Apr 4, 2022

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Final Day

South Africa 367 and 204

Bangladesh 298 and 53

SA won by 220 runs

Johannesburg - Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer carved out a small slice of history for themselves becoming the first pair of bowlers from South Africa to take all 10 wickets in a Test innings.

The duo ensured the Proteas wrapped up the first Test in less than an hour on the final day with Maharaj, who went wicketless in the first innings, picking up 732 while Harmer, playing his first Test in almost seven year claimed 3/21 and finished with seven wickets for the match.

Bangladesh resumed on 11/3, on Monday morning, and any hopes they had of producing a miracle evaporated in the first over when Maharaj trapped Mushfiqur Rahim lbw for nought. The Proteas left-arm spinner then had Litton Das caught by Harmer at mid-on and registered his eighth Test ‘five-fer’ when he bowled Yasir Ali with a beautiful delivery that pitched on the line middle stump and hit off-stump.

Harmer then got into the party, getting Mehiday Hasan caught at slip by Keegan Petersen with a straight delivery that found the outside edge.

Kyle Verreynne produced a lovely piece of wicketkeeping by stumping Najmul Shanto for 26 - the highest score in Bangladesh’s dismal innings. Verreynne collected the ball at shoulder height and then reached back to knock off the bails, with Shanto’s back foot on the popping crease.

Khaled Ahmed slogged one to midwicket where Lizaad Williams took a good running catch to give Maharaj his sixth wicket, and then the hometown hero wrapped up the match by having Taskin Ahmed caught at slip by Wiaan Mulder for 14.

Bangladesh’s total was the lowest for a Test innings at Kingsmead and also their lowest against South Africa eclipsing the 90 they scored in Potchefstroom five years ago.

The second Test starts in Gqeberha on Friday.