SA vs BAN 1st Test Commentary - Durban (31 March 2022)

Full and outside off. Taskin Ahmed drives it back to the bowler.

Flighted delivery, outside off. Taskin Ahmed gets forward and defends it.

This is an overpitched ball, outside off. Taskin Ahmed drives it through cover and takes a couple of runs.

Around middle. Blocked out.

Tossed up, on middle and leg. Taskin Ahmed defends it off the front foot.

OUT! CAUGHT! There it is! Keshav Maharaj gets his seventh wicket and ends Bangladesh's misery! What a performance this has been from Keshav Maharaj on his home ground! This time he comes 'round the wicket and serves a flatter ball, on a length, going on with the arm from middle. Taskin Ahmed stays back to block but the ball takes the outside edge of the bat and goes straight to Wiaan Mulder at first slip who takes a sitter. Bangladesh are bundled out for 53. South Africa win by 220 runs!

A loopy ball, around off. Ebadot Hossain gets forward and blocks it to the off side.

A bit flatter, full and outside off. Ebadot Hossain stretches forward and defends it to point.

Flatter and quicker, around off. Hossain rocks back and dabs it onto the deck.

On a length, turning in from outside off. Ebadot Hossain covers his off pole and dead-bats it.

Floated, full and around off. Hossain gets solid in his front foot defence.

Tosses it up, on off. Ebadot Hossain defends it solidly yet again. A maiden over from Simon Harmer!

Nicely tossed up, around off. Taskin Ahmed keeps it out watchfully.

An appeal for LBW but the umpire is unmoved! South Africa have sent it upstairs. Wickets missing on the Ball Tracker and Taskin Ahmed survives! This was floated, around middle and turning in late. Taskin Ahmed looks to defend but he misses and gets hit on his pad. South Africa appeal and opt for a review as the umpire says no. The Ball Tracker suggests that the ball would have spun way down leg.

Tossed up, around middle. Taskin Ahmed blocks it.

Tossed up, outside off. Taskin Ahmed kneels and looks to slog-sweep but he miscues it high in the air towards the deep square leg region for a run.

OUT! TAKEN! This it turning out to be an extraordinary morning for South Africa! A horrow show for Bangladesh though! Maharaj bowls it slower and wider of off. Khaled Ahmed gets down on his knee and looks to heave it over the deep mid-wicket fence. He only manages a top edge though which goes high in the air towards the mid-wicket region. Lizaad Williams runs forward from mid on, settles under it and takes a good catch. South Africa are just 1 wicket away from going 1-0 up in the series.

Tossed up, around middle. Taskin Ahmed keeps it out watchfully.

Floated, around off. Najmul Hossain Shanto keeps it out.

Nicely tossed up, outside off and spinning away late. Najmul Hossain Shanto prods and lets it be.

An overpitched ball, outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto drives it to the mid off fielder.

This is darted on the pads. Najmul Hossain Shanto rocks back and tucks it wide of the square leg fielder for a brace.

OUT! STUMPED! Another one bites the dust! This has been a terrific morning for South Africa! The spin-twins are doing the job for the Proteas and Bangladesh are on the brink of a Test match defeat! This was tossed up, around off and spinning away from the batter. Najmul Hossain Shanto gets forward to defend but he misses as the ball zips past his outside edge. Shanto also loses his balance in the process. Kyle Verreynne behind the sticks, collects the ball cleanly and whips the bails off. Shanto has no part of his back foot inside the crease and Bangladesh lose their eighth wicket.

Around off. Blocked out.

SIX! BANG! Taskin Ahmed freeing his arms now. It is floated, full and around off. Taskin Ahmed prods and slogs it over the mid-wicket fence for a maximum.

Full, outside off. Ahmed drives it to cover for a single.

Fuller, on the pads, this one stays a bit low. Najmul Hossain Shanto goes back and clips it to deep square leg for three runs.

Fuller, outside off. Taskin Ahmed drives it through covers for three runs. Maharaj is enticing both the left-handed batters to play away from their body.

Floated, full and on leg. Najmul Hossain Shanto flicks it to the leg side for an easy single.

Fuller, on middle and leg. Taskin Ahmed blocks it out watchfully towards mid on.

Loopy ball, around off, drifting in. Najmul Hossain Shanto leans forward and tries to defend it. The ball though grips and turns away sharply. It zips past the outside edge.

Fuller, on leg. Shanto fails to block it out. He gets pinged on his pads. Going down leg.

Fuller, on middle and leg. Najmul Hossain Shanto blocks it to short leg.

Fuller, around off. Shanto drives it off the inner half back to the bowler.

On off, defended out solidly.

Tossed up, around middle. Najmul Hossain Shanto prods and blocks it to short leg.

Fuller, outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto works it to long on for a single.

Full, on off. Taskin Ahmed flicks it to mid-wicket for a single.

Flighted, full and outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto reaches out and pushes it back to the bowler.

Full and outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto taps it back to the bowler.

Quicker, full, around middle and leg. Najmul Hossain Shanto goes back, tucks it to mid-wicket for one.

Swing and a miss! Tossed up, outside off. Taskin Ahmed tries to chase it but misses. He gets beaten on the outside edge.

SIX! BOOM! Najmul Hossain Shanto trying to put up a fight here. But he needs more of these results. Fuller, on off. Najmul Hossain Shanto gets under it and smokes it over the long off fence for a biggie.

No run.Floated and full, outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto gently pushes it back to Harmer.

Tosses up, on off. Najmul Hossain Shanto flicks it to mid-wicket for a quick single.

Full, on middle and leg. Mehidy Hasan tucks it to short leg.

Fuller, outside off. Mehidy Hasan tries to drive it on the front foot. But ends up working it back to the bowler off the inner half.

OUT! CAUGHT! This time Simon Harmer has his say on Day 5! It is full and outside off. Mehidy Hasan prods and tries to defend it out but misses. The ball takes the outside edge and goes towards first slip. Keegan Petersen there, gets low to his left and takes a sharp catch. Simon Harmer is ecstatic, as he punches the air. What a performance this has been by Simon Harmer after coming back into the side.

Fuller, on off. Yasir Ali blocks it out solidly.

FOUR! Nicely played. Yasir Ali taking the aggressive route. It is short, outside off. Yasir Ali stays back and slaps it through covers for a boundary.

Around off, blocked back to the bowler.

Full and on the stumps. Yasir Ali blocks it out to mid off.

OUT! TIMBER! Keshav Maharaj, YOU BEAUTY! He picks up a five-fer here, in no time. This is a stunning delivery to get rid of Ali. It drifts in, around middle. The ball grips and turns away off the deck. Yasir Ali tries to defend it off the front foot, but misses it completely. The ball zips past the outside edge and uproots the off stump. Keshav Maharaj with yet another victory lap in this Test match. Bangladesh slip further. 

Full, on the stumps, blocked out solidly.

An overpitched ball, outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto drives it wide of the mid off fielder and takes a single.

This one turns in late from middle. Ali hangs back and tickles it towards short fine leg for a run. Ali is off the mark!

Floated, full and on middle. Najmul Hossain Shanto gets forward and works it to short leg.

Nice and full, looped up, on off. Najmul Hossain Shanto gets to the pitch of the ball and blocks it.

FOUR! Good use of the feet from Shanto! Bangladesh many more of these! Flighted delivery, on a length, around middle. Shanto shimmies down the track and lofts it over the mid on fielder for a boundary.

Tosses it up, outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto leans and mistimes his drive towards the cover fielder.

On a length, around off. Liton Das keeps it out.

Tossed up nicely, around off. Liton Das gets forward and defends it.

Slower through the air, on a length, around off. Liton Das dead-bats it.

Nicely worked to the leg side! Flatter ball, shorter in length, on middle. Das rocks back and whips it in front of square on the leg side for a brace.

OUT! CAUGHT! A soft dismissal and Keshav Maharaj is on a roll at Kingsmead! Two wickets in two overs for Keshav Maharaj on Day 5! He bags his fourth wicket of the innings and the Proteas are bossing this Test now. This was tossed up, on middle. Das plants his front foot forward and looks to play it across the line. It goes off the leading edge straight to Simon Harmer at mid on who takes a dolly. Bangladesh lose their fifth wicket and they are in deep, deep trouble.

Floated, full and around off. Yasir Ali keeps it out, off the front foot.

Loopy ball, on off. Najmul Hossain Shanto defends it back to the bowler.

Full length, wide outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto steers it through backward point for a brace.

Floated, full and outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto defends it to mid off.

Looped up, full and on off. Najmul Hossain Shanto defends it on the front foot.

Tossed up, around off. Najmul Hossain Shanto blocks it back to Harmer.

Loopy ball, full and outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto prods and blocks it out safely.

A full ball, on middle. Najmul Hossain Shanto drives it to long on and takes a single. Bangladesh are underway on Day 5!

Flatter and quicker, around off. Mushfiqur Rahim stays back and dabs it onto the deck.

That stayed a tad low! Floated, on a length, around off. Rahim hangs back and manages to keep it out.

Flatter and quicker, outside off. Mushfiqur Rahim stays back and punches it to the cover fielder.

OUT! Mushfiqur Rahim has been adjudged LBW but he has sent it upstairs. Huge moment in this game. The UltraEdge rolls in and it confirms that there was no bat involved. The Ball Tracker indicates three reds and Rahim is a goner! This is exactly the kind of start that the Proteas would have wished for! They get rid of the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim in the very first over and Keshav Maharaj is over the moon. This was a flatter ball, landing around middle and going on with the arm. Rahim prods and looks to block. He misses and gets rapped in front. He played for the turn there but there wasn't any of it. Bangladesh on the backfoot straightaway.

Floated, on a length, outside off. Liton Das stays back and taps it to point.

Flighted, full and outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto prods and blocks it back to the bowler.

Fuller, outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto dabs it to point.

Flatter and quicker, on the pads. Najmul Hossain Shanto flicks it through mid-wicket for a brace.

Looped up, full and on the stumps. Najmul Hossain Shanto prods and defends it to the leg side off the inner half.

Around off, defended out watchfully.

Touch short, outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto flicks it to the left of mid on for a single.

OUT! TIMBER! Keshav Maharaj strikes now and this is a huge wicket for South Africa, as the centurion of the first innings goes for a timid score in the second. Keshav Maharaj takes off for a celebratory run! Excellent bowling from Maharaj! This was tossed up, on a length and went on with the angle from middle. Joy prods to block but the ball sneaks through his bat. It hits the pad and ricochets onto the leg stump. Bangladesh are in deep trouble now.

Tossed up, on middle. Blocked out.

Flatter and full and on middle. Mominul Haque tucks it to mid-wicket.

Edged but safe! Floated, full and around off. Mominul Haque prods to defend but the ball takes the outside edge and goes past the slip fielder. The batters take two runs.

OUT! LBW! Another one bites the dust and this time it is Bangladesh's skipper who has to walk back to the hut. South Africa are all over Bangladesh at the moment! This is a flatter ball, on a length and turning in from outside off. Mominul Haque rocks back and looks to work it on the leg side. He misses and gets pinged on his pad. South Africa appeal and the umpire raises his finger in no time. Mominul Haque has a chat with his partner but doesn't take the review. Bangladesh slip further!

A dot to end the over! After a quiet first innings, Keshav Maharaj makes a solid statement in the second innings by taking two wickets in three overs. It is full and outside off. Mushfiqur Rahim defends it to the off side.

Floated, around off. Najmul Hossain Shanto blocks it off the front foot.

An appeal for caught behind but the umpire says no! Flatter and quicker, outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto stays back to cut but he misses.

Nicely tossed up, on off. Najmul Hossain Shanto keeps it out.

Around off, defended.

A flatter ball, going on with the arm, from middle. Najmul Hossain Shanto stays back and tucks it to mid-wicket.

Full and outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto pushes it back to the bowler. A maiden over from Simon Harmer!

Flatter ball, around leg. Najmul Hossain Shanto tickles it behind square on the leg side. Not in the gap though!

Outside off. Blocked out.

Flatter and on middle. Najmul Hossain Shanto gets solid in his front foot defence.

Slightly short and spinning in from outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto blocks it off the back foot.

Flatter and on off. Najmul Hossain Shanto defends it out.

Around leg. Najmul Hossain Shanto nudges it to deep mid-wicket and takes a single.

An overpitched ball, outside off. Shadman Islam digs it out back to the bowler.

OUT! CAUGHT! Exactly the kind of start that South Africa would have hoped for! Shadman Islam departs for a duck! This is tossed up, around off and turning away a tad. Shadman Islam looks to defend off the front foot but it takes the outside edge and goes straight to Keegan Petersen at first slip who takes a simple catch. Bangladesh under pressure straightaway!

Around off. Blocked out.

Full and outside off. Najmul Hossain Shanto drills it to long off for a single.

Floated, full and around off. Mahmudul Hasan Joy keeps it out.

This is a flatter ball, full and on middle. Mahmudul Hasan Joy drags it back to the bowler. End of a successful over for South Africa!

Tossed up, outside off. Mahmudul Hasan Joy pushes it back to the bowler.

On a length, around off. Mahmudul Hasan Joy keeps it out.

FOUR! Cut away! Flatter ball, short and outside off. Mahmudul Hasan Joy cuts it through the point region for a boundary. Bangladesh are up and running!

Nicely tossed up, around off. Mahmudul Hasan Joy blocks it off the front foot.

Flatter and quicker, around off. Mahmudul Hasan Joy dead-bats it.

A quicker ball, going on with the angle from off. Mahmudul Hasan Joy drags it back to the bowler.