Last Updated on 4 years ago by Charbel Coorey
Cricket News: Maharaj & Harmer create 5 huge slices of history in Durban | Simon Harmer & Keshav Maharaj take all 10 wickets vs Bangladesh
Looking at the scorecard, you may have been forgiven that the first Test between South Africa and Bangladesh took place in Dhaka, where the pace bowlers have no role but to wait for the ball to come to them in the field.
Spinners Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer created history in Durban, combining to take all 10 wickets to demolish Bangladesh for just 53 and win the first Test by a whopping 220 runs. Coming into the Test series with an inexperienced team as South Africa’s leading players are at the IPL, Maharaj and Harmer took it upon themselves to spin the Proteas to victory and take a 1-0 series lead.
With the Test match in the balance on the fourth day, Bangladesh may have believed that they were in with a chance of a historic victory with a target of 273 to chase. However, those were almost extinguished on the fourth evening where they lost 11/3.
And it only got worse on the fifth day, as they lost their last seven wickets for 42 in under an hour. It represents a big missed opportunity for the Tigers, as their batsmen are experienced in playing in such conditions. However, they had no answer.
5 ways Maharaj & Harmer created history in Durban
1. First time that two South Africa bowlers take all 10 wickets in a Test innings
This was the first instance that two bowlers did all the damage for South Africa in a Test innings. It was a spin masterclass by Keshav Maharaj, who finished with seven wickets, and Simon Harmer, who finished with three.
2. First time that spinners combine for all 10 wickets in South Africa since their redamission
Spinners have combined to take all 10 wickets in an innings for South Africa for the first time since readmission. Its rarity is no surprise given the pace-friendly conditions that South Africa offers, but no one could have predicted the record would be broken here, especially against an opponent from the subcontinent.
This was the third time that spinners took all 10 wickets for South Africa. The other two instances were in 1948 and 1950. All have been in Durban.
3. Lowest ever score at Kingsmead, Durban
Bangladesh’s 53 all-out is the lowest ever score in a Test at Durban. The previous lowest was 66 by India against South Africa in 1996.
Also, this is the fourth time a team has been bowled out for less than 100 on this ground. Along with Bangladesh and India, Australia were bowled out for 75 in 1950 and South Africa for 99 in the same year.
4. Fourth-lowest score ever vs South Africa
All four of the lowest scores against South Africa have taken place since 2010. New Zealand were rolled for 45 in Cape Town in 2013, two years after Australia’s infamous 47 in 2011. Pakistan were blanked for 49 in 2013, and now Bangladesh for 53 nine years later.
5. Bangladesh’s second-lowest total in Tests
Bangladesh have largely struggled in Test cricket since 2000, but the fight they showed over four days here soon after a historic Test win in New Zealand earlier this year makes this 53 all-out particularly difficult to take.
It is their second-lowest total in history, behind their 43 all-out in West Indies in 2018. Their previous second-lowest was 62 against Sri Lanka in 2007.
Simon Harmer and player of the match Keshav Maharaj were outstanding in demolishing Bangladesh. The Tigers will have to bounce back quickly with the second Test in Port Elizabeth starting on April 7.
