Ban-SA: Smith plays Scrooge

The third day of an increasingly pointless Test Match in Chittagong meandered towards its inevitable conclusion - a heavy South African victory.

Resuming on 364/2, with all sorts of morale-boosting records were in the sights of the South African batsmen, new captain Graeme Smith showed the kind of half-witted logic and ability to destroy a team's confidence that must have convinced the UCBSA to appoint him.

With the score having progressed to 470/2, the third wicket partnership on 429*, Boeta Dippenaar 178* and Jacques Rudolph 222*, Smith declared.

Never mind the fact that the world-record third wicket parntership (467) was just a few boundaries away, or that Rudolph was in reach of RE Foster's debut record (287), he declared with over half the Test still left, a lead of 297, and Test Cricket's whipping boys to bowl out.

One question, Graeme. WHY?

Answers by e-mail to the address at the bottom, and I'll mention the best in due course.

Mehrab Hossain continued his dismal run with the bat with a turgid and un-threatening 5, before being trapped leg-before by Shaun Pollock - once again change bowler, with Charl Willoughby taking the new ball. Not entirely sure of the logic behind that either. Once Makhaya Ntini and Pollock used up their overs, there seemed no back-up plan.

Debut men Willoughby and Allan Dawson were easy fodder for Javed Omar and back-to-form Habibul Bashar, with both men bringing up 70s before short balls from Ntini and Pollock removed them. Once they were out the way, Paul Adams' chinamen did for Alok Kapali (7) and keeper Mohammad Selim for a duck. Mohammad Ashraful showed another side to his game, resisting 71 balls to be unbeaten on 12* at close.

Bangladesh closed on 185/5, still 112 short of making the tourists bat again - and if someone was to place any money on them making that happen, then they're either showing the judgement of Smith or need directing to the closest asylum.

South Africa 470/2 dec (JA Rudolph 222*, HH Dippenaar 178*)

Bangladesh 173 & 185/5 (Habibul Bashar 75, Javed Omar 71, SM Pollock 2/12)

Posted by Neil