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DHAKA - South Africa reeled off the 27 runs required for victory in less than an hour to record a five-wicket triumph over Bangladesh on the fourth day of the first cricket test last night (NZT).
Resuming on their overnight score of 178 for four, the tourists needed less than 11 overs to reach their victory target of 205 runs in 44 minutes for the loss of a single wicket.
South Africa lost Ashwell Prince for 38 when he was trapped leg before wicket by Shahdat Hossain before wicketkeeper Mark Boucher hit the winning run with a cover drive off spinner Mohammad Rafique.
On Sunday, skipper Graeme Smith's 20th test half-century and five wickets from Jacques Kallis laid the foundations for a South Africa victory after Bangladesh had matched the tourists for the first two days.
Shahadat registered career-best figures of six for 27 in the first innings to help the hosts bundle South Africa out for 170 as Bangladesh carried a 22-run lead into the second innings.
However, Kallis struck back with the ball to take five for 30 and Smith then scored 62 to ruin any hopes Bangladesh harboured of recording a rare test victory.
The winning runchase was the highest on the subcontinent for South Africa, surpassing the 164 they managed when beating India in Mumbai three years ago.
Smith, who took over as skipper when he was just 22 against Bangladesh in Chittagong four years ago, equalled Hansie Cronjie's record of captaining South Africa for a 53rd time.
Mark Boucher also reclaimed the world record for the most test dismissals by a wicketkeeper with his 417th victim yesterday, surpassing the mark held by Australia's Adam Gilchrist.
Boucher then added his 418th wicket, catching Saqibul Hasan off Kallis to wrap up the Bangladesh innings.
The teams now head to Chittagong for the second match of the two-test series starting on Friday.
- REUTERS
