• Downloads  
  • Desktop Alerts
  • Toolbars
  • Wallpapers
  • Screensavers

A brief history

Bangladesh v South Africa - A brief history

Will Luke

	Graeme Smith became the third-youngest Test captain when he skippered South Africa during their tour of Bangladesh in 2003 © Peter J Heeger

2002-03 in South Africa
There was scant encouragement for Bangladesh who were emphatically beaten in both Tests and one-dayers, never offering South Africa a convincing challenge. Makhaya Ntini warmed up with 10 wickets at 10.14 in the one-day series - too fast, too hostile for the Bangladeshis - before obliterating them in the two Tests with 12 wickets at 15. Only Hannan Sarkar and Al Sahariar notched fifties while South Africa posted five hundreds - including two from Gary Kirsten who became the first batsman to score hundreds against all nine Test-playing nations. Graeme Smith's 200 set-up a huge innings win in the first Test in East London, while in the second at Potchefstroom Jacques Kallis tore through with 5 for 21. As Wisden reported, the sentiment that Bangladesh benefited from competing against such strong opposition wore rather thin.
Tests: South Africa 2 Bangladesh 0
ODIs: South Africa 3 Bangladesh 0

2003 in Bangladesh
Chastened from their disastrous World Cup campaign, South Africa embarked on a tour of Bangladesh with a new-look squad. Graeme Smith was appointed captain - the third-youngest at 22 years 82 days - while Allan Donald and Jonty Rhodes both retired. Bangladesh were also rebuilding, with the captain Khaled Masud making way for Khaled Mahmud, but South Africa's youthful façade was still far too strong. In the first Test at Chittagong, Jacques Rudolph cracked 222 on debut to begin a chequered international career. And in the second, South Africa's bowlers probed away to crush Bangladesh for 102 and 210, sweeping the series 2-0.
Tests: Bangladesh 0 South Africa 2

Will Luke is a staff writer at Cricinfo

© Cricinfo