South Africa v Bangladesh at Bloemfontein, 22 Feb 2003 CricInfo Live Report

South Africa v Bangladesh at Bloemfontein, 22 Feb 2003
Anand Vasu

Pre-game: Toss & Teams,
Bangladesh, Pool B innings: 25 overs, End of innings,
South Africa innings: End of match,

GIBBS, KIRSTEN TAKE SOUTH AFRICA TO EASY WIN
With just 109 needed for an amble to victory, South Africa got off to a brisk start.

Nine overs were possible before the scheduled lunch break was taken. In those 54 balls, the South African opening pair of Gibbs and Gary Kirsten clattered 75 runs at a run-rate of 8.33. The openers, despite being contrasting in style and strengths achieved the same results, scoring 34 each with seven boundaries apiece.

Just 34 more runs were required after the resumption of play and there were no frights at all. Only three more overs were required, no more wickets lost and South Africa breezed to victory with 38 overs to spare.

In putting up an opening partnership of 109, the Gibbs-Kirsten pair became the third most prolific in the game with nine century opening stands. They are now behind the Sachin Tendulkar-Sourav Ganguly (17 century stands) pairing and the legendary pair of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes who managed to reach three figures together on 12 occasions.

Gibbs (49 not out) and Kirsten (52 not out) barely broke into a sweat in the process.

BANGLADESH SKITTLED OUT FOR 108
Bangladesh were shot out for a mere 108 in 35.1 overs by a dominant South Africa. The hard hitting of two Khaleds – Mashud and Mahmud helped Bangladesh avert utter humiliation but was not enough to take them to a respectable total.

Skipper Khaled Mashud struck three boundaries in his 67-ball stay at the wicket that earned him 29 runs. Mashud was the top scorer of the Bangladesh innings.

The shot of the day however came from the free-stroking Mahmud who lofted Robin Peterson over long on for the only six of the innings. In 35 balls Mahmud contributed 23.

With no other batsman reaching 20, extras was the next highest scorer on 20.

For South Africa, Makhaya Ntini was the most successful bowler, picking up 4/24 from 7.1 overs.

SOUTH AFRICA REDUCE BANGLADESH TO TATTERS
South Africa reached a predictably strong position half-way through the Bangladesh innings at Bloemfontein. After putting the minnows in, the home side established their supremacy with a strong bowling performance. Bangladesh were in all manner of trouble at 70/6 at the 25-over mark.

Things began badly for Bangladesh as they lost opener Al-Sahariar for a duck with just three on the board in just the third over of the innings.

Makhaya Ntini then struck, having Mohammad Ashraful (6) caught behind. Pollock then accounted for Ehsanul Haq and Bangaldesh were down at 21/3.

Andrew Hall coming into the playing eleven for the first time in this tournament proved his utility straightaway, picking up a wicket with his second delivery. Bowling a good line, Hall tempted batsmen to drive and just a touch of movement was enough to induce edges. Sanwar Hossain, who looked promising for 11 that included one boundary, fell to Hall’s tidy bowling, edging to Jacques Kallis.

The constant fall of wickets did nothing to help the Bangladeshi cause. The arrival of fresh legs in the form of Monde Zondeki encouraged the home side. Despite being a bit wayward, Zondeki’s whippy action helped beat the batsmen for pace. If he had bowled a fuller length Zondeki would certainly have better results to show for his effort. In any case, Zondeki removed the dangerous Alok Kapali, caught well by Boeta Dippenaar in the slips and Bangladesh had slipped further towards ruin at 33/5.

While captain Khaled Mashud did his best to buck the trend and resist the South African bowlers reaching 16, the extras still remained the top scorer in the innings. With as many as 19 extras coming in 25 overs, this is an area of concern for the South Africans.

SOUTH AFRICA PUT BANGLADESH IN AT BLOEMFONTEIN
As South Africa prepare to take on unfancied Bangladesh at Bloemfontein, the big news is the omission of fast bowling spearhead Allan Donald from the playing XI. Young quick Monde Zondeki replaces the man they call ‘White Lightning.’

In another change that might surprise a few, all-rounder Andrew Hall replaces opening batsman Graeme Smith.

Also, at the last moment South Africa decided to give left-arm spinner Robin Peterson a game, bringing him in for Nicky Boje.

Bangladesh are playing for pride here after being beaten by 60 runs by Canada. The team has done its reputation little good with a string of poor performances.

South Africa too need to win this game – and win it well to boost their net run-rate. Remember South Africa have won just one of three games so far – against Kenya, while they lost to both New Zealand and West Indies.

With an eye on getting a good win under the belt, South African skipper Shaun Pollock elected to field on winning the toss. The home side would now look to roll over the Bangladeshis for a small score and win the game in quick time.

Bangladesh team: Al Sahariar, Ehsanul Haque, Sanwar Hossain, Alok Kapali, Mohammad Ashraful, Tushar Imran, *+Khaled Mashud, Khaled Mahmud, Mohammad Rafique, Manjural Islam, Talha Jubair.

South Africa team: G Kirsten, HH Gibbs, JH Kallis, HH Dippenaar, AJ Hall, L Klusener, +MV Boucher, *SM Pollock, RJ Peterson, M Ntini, M Zondeki.