South Africa v Bangladesh, 1st Test, Bloemfontein, 1st day

[moonjee06]

South Africa v Bangladesh, 1st Test, Bloemfontein, 1st day

Smith and McKenzie lay solid platform


November 19, 2008

South Africa 61 for 0 (Smith 39*, McKenzie 20*) v Bangladesh
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary

Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie guided South Africa to a steady 61 without loss on the first morning of the first Test against Bangladesh at Bloemfontein. There were no fireworks from either batsmen, content with pushing the score along at a casual pace against encouragingly accurate, if venomless, opening spells from Bangladesh's bowlers.

As is the case when the opposition is Bangladesh, it is difficult for South Africa to ignore the wider picture. In a few short weeks, they take on Australia - still a significant force, despite their defeat to India and the ensuing claims of their slip in world domination. A chastened Australia is a prospect of marked contrast to a weakened Bangladesh.

Bangladesh's decision to field caused a few raised eyebrows, not least because Martin van Jaarsveld cracked 132 from 96 balls for the Titans on this very pitch last week. Titans chased down 335 to beat Eagles in South Africa's domestic one-day competition and even Boeta Dippenaar, a man not associated with flourishing strokeplay, made 71 from just 45 balls. In such pleasant conditions, South Africa could have made hay, but Mahbubul Alam and Mashrafe Mortaza kept things tight in the first hour with a tight off-stump line.

Alam gained useful inswing to the left-hander and both he and Mortaza - fit in spite of an injury scare in the lead-up to the game - hurried Smith on what was a quicker surface than expected. Their length was less controlled than their line, however, allowing both Smith and McKenzie to nudge singles off the back foot and rotate the scoring. Early in his innings, Smith was rapped on the pad by a convinced Mortaza, though it was clearly sliding down the leg-side. McKenzie was mostly secure in defence, though he did twice fish and miss to outswingers from Alam.

A sparse Wednesday crowd (supplemented by the addition of Duncan Fletcher, the former England coach, sporting South African-green fatigues) weren't treated to much excitement in the first hour, but soon McKenzie was into his stride. A wonderful short-arm pull off the grunting Shahadat Hossain shot through midwicket, bringing up his 3000th Test run in the process and helped inject some life into proceedings. Alam began to show signs of tiring in his eighth over, dropping it short to Smith who seized on a powerful cut before smudging him through midwicket for another four.

There were no signs of any stiffness from Smith, who has not played for South Africa since sealing their famous series win over England at Edgbaston in August. He now appears fully recovered from the tennis elbow injury which has healed faster than expected, and his form and confidence at the crease was arguably the most significant sub-plot in a dour session, for his presence at the top of the order will be crucial in Australia next month.

South Africa weren't exactly lighting up Bloemfontein, but they took advantage of occasional waywardness. Hossain offered a tight off-stump line but again his length was too short, allowing Smith to angle him down to third man and work him off the back foot. Another firm cut by Smith brought up South Africa's fifty and, shortly before lunch, Shakib Al Hasan kept things tight with two tidy if innocuous overs of slow-left-arm. It could be a very long afternoon for the bowlers.

[speedboy]

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