Game One South Africa 113/6 v 109/7 Bangladesh - South Africa WIN
In a match which could secure South Africa's passage into the Super Eight round of the tournament they lost four wickets in five overs, and had scored 25 runs by the end of the power play.
Was it the Bangladesh attack or Nassau County's pitch? While only another two wickets fell, including top scorer Klaasen for 46 runs from 44 balls, South Africa were only able to add another 88 runs.
Now, like yesterday's India v Pakistan match at the same venue, we were facing a tight game. Or were we?
Bangladesh were above the run rate by the end of the powerplay, and only one wicket down, and they stayed that way through the ninth over. Then things tightened right up. Nortje, Jansen, and Rabada conceded a miserly 53 in their combined 12 overs.
At the end of the nineteenth over Bangladesh required eleven runs and that was reduced to ten when the first ball was a wide. Three runs fro the next two balls ticked things down a little more but then Ali was caught in the deep. A leg by on the fourth ball reduced the equation to six runs from two balls.
For a few glorious moments it looked like Mahmadullah had done it with a full toss smashed down the ground but Markram was ideally placed and the ball about six inches too low, and South Africa win by four balls.
The victory gives South Africa six points and, after Oman became the first team confirmed out of the competition, they become the first team mathematically confirmed for the Super Eight stage.
In a small point to consider there is an argument that Bangladesh were denied 4 runs which, if everything else occurred as it did, would have tied the match and led to a Super Over.
on the second ball of the seventeenth over the ball defelcted off Mahmadullah's pads and rolled down to the boundary. But the umpire responded to SOuth Africa's appeal and raised his finger to give Mahmadullah out before the ball reached the boundary.
Ball tracking showd the ball would have missed the stumps. Bangladesh retained the wicket, but gained zero runs from the ball. It is a quirk that would be solved by the umpire waiting until the ball was at rest, or in hand, before calling for a review. If the review shows not out, then the runs scored are added to the batting teams score.
| Game | 4's | 6's | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa v Bangladesh | 12 | 9 | 21 |
| Tournament | 378 | 185 | 563 |
Check back tomorrow for reviews & updated boundary totals.
text by stuartcturnbull. graphic by Mir Rammez Raja & edited by stuartcturnbull via postermywall