Bangladesh Pace Sensation Mustafizur Rahman's 4/37 Gives Proteas Statistical Nightmares
Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman had a dream Test debut and his effort helped his side bowl out South Africa for 248 - their second lowest against this opposition - on Day 1 of the first Test in Chittagong.
- Somak Adhikari
- Updated: July 21, 2015 09:54 pm IST
Bangladesh's 19-year-old fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman signalled his arrival in Test cricket with four wickets against South Africa, on Tuesday. The pacer took 4/37 as South Africa were bowled out for 248 - their second-lowest against Bangladesh.(Day 1 Report | Scorecard | Highlights)
In one over, the left-armer snared three victims in four balls. Hashim Amla was caught behind and JP Duminy was trapped leg before first ball. Quinton de Kock avoided the hat-trick but fell the next delivery as the bowler breached his defence. From 173/3 the No. 1 Test team had crumbled to 173/6. Mustafizur returned to snare Temba Bavuma as South Africa's innings came to an end. Bavuma was the only one to score a fifty for the visitors. The only time no South African got a 50 vs Bangladesh was when AB de Villiers top-scored with 46 back in 2008 when they were 170 all out. This was also Bavuma's first Test fifty.
The limelight though was completely on Mustafizur as his figures were the second best by a debutant Bangladesh bowler in Tests. Manjural Islam has the top distinction with 6 for 81. The teenage fast bowler so far has 18 wickets from six ODIs. He arrived with a bang grabbing 11 scalps in his first two matches during a successful series against India in June.
Here are some other statistical highlights from the first day of the first Test between Bangladesh and South Africa:
# South Africa enjoy an outstanding record vs Bangladesh in Tests, winning all eight between 2002 and 2008.- seven by an innings margin and one by five wickets.
# Abraham de Villiers, who holds a record for playing in most consecutive Tests (98) since his debut vs England at St.George's Park, Port Elizabeth in December 2004, has missed his first Test - the present Test vs Bangladesh at Chittagong. de Villiers still holds a South African record for most appearances in succession in Tests.
# South Africa's average opening partnership is 85.80 - the best by them against any opponent, followed by 77.18 against Zimbabwe and 53.20 against West Indies.