fatullah - South Africa won its first warm-up match ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 2014 against Bangladesh A, but certainly not they way it would have liked.
The bowlers came up with a collective effort to bowl out Bangladesh A, which opted to bat first at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah on Tuesday (March 18), for a mediocre 116 in 18.4 overs. But, South Africa’s batsmen made the target of 117 look much tougher than it was, losing five wickets along the way before crossing the line in 18.3 overs.
Taskin Ahmed provided Bangladesh A with the first breakthrough when he bowled Quinton de Kock in the very first over. More quick strikes followed as South Africa was soon in a spot of bother on 38 for 4 in 7.1 overs. JP Duminy then forged a 49-run stand with Farhaan Behardien (36*), though Duminy was slow in his scoring, consuming 41 balls for his 25.
Duminy fell in the 16th over when he was caught behind off Taijul Islam, the left-arm spinner, following which it took a cameo from Albie Morkel, who struck four and six off consecutive Taskin deliveries on his way to an unbeaten 21 in 12 balls, to take South Africa over the line. Taijul’s 3 for 12 in four overs made him the pick of the Bangladesh A bowlers.
Earlier, Bangladesh A’s batsmen were somewhat out of depth against their seasoned opponents. With the exception of Junaid Siddique (29) and Nurul Hasan (25), none of the other top-order batsmen even managed to get to a start.
It was Muktar Ali’s late fireworks – he struck four boundaries and two sixes in an unbeaten 20-ball 35 – that took Bangladesh A past the 100-run mark. All of South Africa’s bowlers were among the wickets, with Dale Steyn leading the attack with 2 for 10 in 2.2 overs.
Meanwhile, South African Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula urge the Proteas to use the victory of the South African under-19 side as inspiration in the T20 World Cup. “We have not done well at a high level in terms of T20,” Mbalula said after presenting the under-19 team with a R200 000 cheque for winning the ICC Junior World Cup Final in Dubai earlier this month. “The achievements of this under-19 side must inspire our senior national team to do well in Bangladesh and fight for the nation.”
“Even the ‘old ones’ we have sent to Bangladesh for the T20 World Cup, they will not misrepresent us there now. They will, if possible, bring us the trophy.”

Scoreboard
BANGLADESH A:
Soumya Sarkar c de Kock b Steyn    3
Junaid Siddique st de Kock b Duminy    29
Imrul Kayes c de Kock b Tsotsobe     1
Mithun Ali c Phangiso b Tsotsobe    4
Shuvagata Hom b M Morkel    1
Nurul Hasan b Steyn    25
Mosaddek Hossain b Imran    1
Ziaur Rahman run out    6
Muktar Ali not out    35
M Shahid b Phangiso    0
Taijul Islam b Parnell    1
EXTRAS: (lb2, w6, nb2)    10
TOTAL: (all out; 18.4 overs)    116
FOW: 1-19, 2-20, 3-35, 4-37, 5-53, 6-56, 7-70, 8-101, 9-101, 10-116
BOWLING:
D Steyn 2.2-0-10-2, L Tsotsobe 4-0-21-2, M Morkel 4-0-18-1, W Parnell 2.4-0-19-1, Imran Tahir 4-0-36-1, JP Duminy 1-0-2-1, A Phangiso 0.4-0-8-1
SOUTH AFRICA:
H Amla c Soumya b Taijul    16
Q de Kock b Taskin    6
AB de Villiers b Arafat    4
JP Duminy c Nurul b Taijul    25
D Miller st Nurul b Taijul    6
F Behardien not out    36
J Morkel not out     27
EXTRAS: (lb1, w1)    2
TOTAL: (5 wkts; 18.3 overs)    122
FOW: 1-8, 2-13, 3-30, 4-38, 5-87
BOWLING:
 Taskin Ahmed 2.3-0-31-1, Arafat Sunny 4-0-25-1, Mosaddek Hossain 4-0-14-0, Taijul Islam 4-0-12-3, Shuvagata Hom 3-0-28-0, Ziaur Rahman 1-0-11-0
TOSS: Bangladesh A
UMPIRES: Anisur Rahman and Enamul Haque