Bangladesh flatter before normal service resumes for Proteas in Bloem

For almost 10 overs in Bloemfontein on Thursday, the unthinkable was happening — Bangladesh were winning a game on their tour of South Africa.

But normal service resumed and the home side earned their sixth consecutive victory over the visitors by winning the first T20 by 20 runs.

South Africa, who won both tests and all three one-day internationals, put up 195/4 after winning the toss. Bangladesh spluttered to 175/9 in reply.

Superb change bowling under pressure by Andile Phehlukwayo, who took 2/25, was backed up by late strikes by Dane Paterson, who came back from bleeding 22 runs in his first two overs to take 2/29 from four.

That told the hapless Bangladeshis the unhappy truth that even their best performance in this country so far wasn’t good enough.

The victors’ innings turned on the stand of 79 that Quinton de Kock and AB de Villiers shared off 48 balls for the second wicket and the unbroken 62 that David Miller and Farhaan Behardien put on off 31.

Spectators might have been confused to see De Kock wearing a shirt emblazoned across the shoulders with “Amla”.

Team management said De Kock’s shirt had been stolen from South Africa’s dressingroom overnight.

With De Kock scoring a career-best 59, Amla can expect him to borrow his shirts more often.

The most telling moment of De Kock’s 44-ball stay at the wicket, in which he hit five fours and a six, came after he was trapped in front by Rubel Hossain in the 15th over.

Plainly livid with himself for missing a furious slog sweep to a full delivery, De Kock yelled his anger into his removed helmet as he stalked back to the dressingroom.

De Villiers was at his outrageous best for his 49, which flew off 27 deliveries and was studded with eight boundaries.

He wore a path into the crease with all his hither and thither movement before the ball arrived, and when it finally did he hit it with elegant violence.

More fine batting came from Miller and Behardien, who between them hit only three fours and two sixes but kept the fielders on the hop with crisp, well-placed shots and bustling running.

But there was more sizzling strokeplay to come, but from the other men in green.

Imrul Kayes and Soumya Sarkar rattled up 43 off 23 balls for the first wicket, and after nine overs Bangladesh had 92 on the board — two more than South Africa at the same stage of their innings.

But Phehlukwayo had Sarkar leg-before with the first ball of the 10th over, the start of a slide of nine wickets for 83.

The disappointment of the result aside, Soumya can be satisfied that he pulled his weight for his 47, while Mohammad Saifuddin did his bit with an unbeaten 39.

But the happiest man on the night was probably debutant Robbie Frylinck, who took 2/33.

That’s two international wickets more than he might have thought he would take just a few days ago, and as many runs as he has had years on this earth.