South Africa thrash Bangladesh by 220 runs in first Test

Bangladesh's Yasir Ali (2nd R) is is bowled by South Africa's Keshav Maharaj (not seen) during the fifth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Bangladesh at the Kingsmead stadium in Durban on 4 April, 2022AFP

South African spinners Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer sent Bangladesh crashing to a 220-run defeat on the fifth day of the first Test at Kingsmead on Monday.

Maharaj took seven for 32 and Harmer three for 21 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 53, their lowest total against South Africa.

Resuming at 11 for three, Bangladesh lost their remaining seven wickets for 42 runs in less than an hour.

The experienced Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed in the first over of the day, leg before wicket to Maharaj when he played down the wrong line of a ball which hurried through straight.

South Africa's Keshav Maharaj (R) celebrates after the dismissal of Bangladesh's Litton Das (not seen) during the fifth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Bangladesh at the Kingsmead stadium in Durban on 4 April 2022
AFP

Liton Das fell to a soft shot in Maharaj's next over, flicking a simple catch to Harmer at wide mid-on, and Maharaj made it three wickets in three overs when he bowled Yasir Ali with a ball which spun past the edge of Yasir's defensive push.

The rest of the batting crumbled with only Najmul Hossain putting up any significant resistance, scoring 26 off 52 balls.

The two spinners bowled unchanged through the innings. They shared the new ball in fading light on Sunday evening and captain Dean Elgar continued with the pair on Monday.