BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa: Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada led a ruthless bowling performance as South Africa completed an innings and 254 run win on the third day of the second Test against Bangladesh at Mangaung Oval on Sunday.
It was the biggest win in South Africa’s Test history, surpassing the innings and 229 run victory over Sri Lanka in Cape Town in 2000/01.
Rabada took five for 30 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 172, a slight improvement on their first innings of 147 in reply to South Africa’s 573 for four declared.
Rabada, 22, who had match figures of 10 for 63, became the youngest of 16 South Africans to take 100 Test wickets. He was playing in his 22nd Test. Only Vernon Philander (19) and Dale Steyn (20) of his compatriots have achieved the feat in fewer matches.
It was Rabada’s third 10-wicket haul in Tests. He took his tally of Test wickets in 2017 to 54, the most by any bowler this year.
It was another poor performance by Bangladesh on a pitch which had bounce but was not especially bowler-friendly.
A small group of Bangladesh supporters cheered during a bright fifth-wicket stand of 43 between Mahmudullah, who top-scored with 43, and Liton Das, who made 18. But their team gave them little else to applaud.
Rabada and Duanne Olivier were aggressive from the start of play when Bangladesh resumed on seven for no wicket. They sent down numerous short-pitched deliveries and three batsmen were struck on their batting helmets, including captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who had lengthy treatment on the field after ducking into a bouncer from Olivier with his score on 11 soon after the mid-morning drinks break. He was hit on his helmet near the temple area.
Rahim was dazed and lay down next to the pitch while the Bangladesh team physiotherapist and South African team doctor attended to him. He carried on batting for another 50 minutes until he was leg before wicket to Wayne Parnell for 26 in the last over before lunch.
Rahim was stretchered off the field after being hit behind the left ear by a bouncer from New Zealand’s Tim Southee in Wellington in January but was released from the hospital the same day.
Mominul Haque was hit by a bouncer from Rabada two balls before hooking the same bowler to be caught at deep square leg for 11, while Mahmudullah was hit by Olivier before he had scored.
Rabada spearheads South Africa’s biggest win
Rabada spearheads South Africa’s biggest win
Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder in rout of Cavaliers
- Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30-point haul led the way, with center Chet Holmgren providing offensive support with 28 points and Luguentz Dort adding 18 points
Los Angeles: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder returned to winning ways with a 136-104 pummeling of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.
Two days after suffering an upset defeat by Miami on Saturday, the NBA champions ensured there would be no repeat against Cleveland as the league marked the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday with a packed slate of fixtures.
Apart from a brief spell at the start of the first quarter, Oklahoma City led throughout, building up a double-digit lead before accelerating away with a 45-point fourth quarter.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30-point haul led the way, with center Chet Holmgren providing offensive support with 28 points and Luguentz Dort adding 18 points.
Isaiah Joe chipped in with 16 points from the bench while Aaron Wiggins finished with 12 as five Thunder players recorded double figures en route to a victory that sees Oklahoma City improve to 36-8 at the top of the Western Conference.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 19 points while four Cavs players — Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Jaylon Tyson and De’Andre Hunter — all finished with 16 points apiece.
In Monday’s other early game, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 21 points helped the Milwaukee Bucks hold off a late rally in a 112-110 road win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Milwaukee opened a 23-point lead midway through the third quarter but a stubborn Atlanta line-up chipped away at that advantage and grabbed a slender one-point lead with just over a minute remaining before the Bucks reasserted themselves to dig out victory.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led Atlanta’s scoring with 32 points off the bench including seven three-pointers, with Jalen Johnson finishing with 28 points for the home side.
