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Kagiso Rabada spearheads Proteas’ biggest Test win

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South Africa bowler Kagiso Rabada celebrates his 100 wickets in Test Matches playing with the ball after South Africa won at the end of the third day of the second Test Match between South Africa and Bangladesh in Bloemfontein, on October 08, 2017. Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada led a ruthless bowling performance as South Africa completed an innings and 254 run win on the third day of the second Test against Bangladesh at Mangaung Oval on October 8, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MARCO LONGARI

Bloemfontein : Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada led a ruthless bowling performance as South Africa completed an innings and 254 run win on the third day of the second Test against Bangladesh at Mangaung Oval on Sunday.

It was the biggest win in South Africa’s Test history, surpassing the innings and 229 run victory over Sri Lanka in Cape Town in 2000/01.

Rabada took five for 30 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 172, a slight improvement on their first innings of 147 in reply to South Africa’s 573 for four declared.


Rabada, 22, who had match figures of 10 for 63, became the youngest of 16 South Africans to take 100 Test wickets. He was playing in his 22nd Test. Only Vernon Philander (19) and Dale Steyn (20) of his compatriots have achieved the feat in fewer matches.

It was Rabada’s third 10-wicket haul in Tests. He took his tally of Test wickets in 2017 to 54, the most by any bowler this year.

It was another poor performance by Bangladesh on a pitch which had bounce but was not especially bowler-friendly. A small group of Bangladesh supporters cheered during a bright fifth wicket stand of 43 between Mahmudullah, who top- scored with 43, and Liton Das, who made 18. But their team gave them little else to applaud.

Rabada and Duanne Olivier were aggressive from the start of play, when Bangladesh resumed on seven for no wicket. They sent down numerous short-pitched deliveries and three batsmen were struck on their batting helmets, including captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who had lengthy treatment on the field after ducking into a bouncer from Olivier.