South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj was the star of the second Test as the Proteas hammered Bangladesh by 332 runs at Port Elizabeth to complete 2-0 series victory.
Dean Elgar’s men completed a series sweep and consolidated their second place in the World Test Championship standings with 71.42% points percentage.
Maharaj spun his web around the Bangladesh batters yet again as he claimed his second seven-for of the series to bowl out the visitors for 80 in the fourth innings.
Bangladesh began the day on 27/3, but their resistance lasted for only an hour on the fourth day. They lost their veteran pair Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque in just three overs into the day. Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz put on a 25-run partnership, which was the highest of their innings.
It ended when Das tried to clear the fence and got stumped off Maharaj. In his next over, Maharaj took two more scalps to complete his second seven-wicket haul in as many Tests.
Simon Harmer took three wickets in the innings as the duo of Maharaj and Harmer became the first pair to share all 10 wickets in an innings twice in a series.
Earlier, South Africa posted a massive total of 453 in the first innings on a pitch that showed early signs of deterioration. Four Protea batters scored half centuries in the inning,s with Maharaj’s quickfire 84 being the highest.
The visitors were skittled out for 217 in their first innings, with Mushfiqur Rahim being the only half centurion. For the hosts, Harmer and Wiaan Mulder claimed three wickets each while Maharaj and Duanne Olivier picked two each. SA scored at 4.41 runs per over in the second innings and declared at 176/6 to set a target of 413 runs.
Maharaj was the obvious choice for the ‘Player of the Match’ award and with 16 wickets and 108 runs in the series, he also claimed the player of the series award.
Brief scores
South Africa – 453 (Keshav Maharaj 84, Dean Elgar 70; Taijul Islam 6/135)
Bangladesh – 217 (Mushfiqur Rahim 51; Wiaan Mulder 3/25, Simon Harmer 3/39)
South Africa – 176/6 d (Sarel Erwee 41; Taijul Islam 3/67)
Bangladesh – 80 (Liton Das 27; Keshav Maharaj 7/40, Simon Harmer 3/34)
