During the period, they swept Zimbabwe 3-0 and managed creditable draws against Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Pakistan and India, mainly at home.
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Fans of Test cricket can watch live online when Bangladesh hosts South Africa for the first of two five-day Test matches as the ninth-ranked Test-playing nation tries to carry the momentum from its shocking ODI series victory over South Africa, to upend the world leaders in cricket’s longest and most trying format.
They also have never lost to Bangladesh in eight tests, winning seven tests by more than an innings and another inside four days.
Although Bangladesh can not improve its position on the table, it will be aiming to close the gap on West Indies, which is ranked eighth.
One that Bangladesh didn’t quite master the last time they faced South Africa at home.
Despite the moisture in the air, the promise of runs in the pitch prompted South Africa captain Hashim Amla’s decision to bat and allowed Bangladesh’s young pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman first use of conditions. “If we can score over 400 runs, the game will head towards a draw. We have to play to our potential”.
South Africa will look to bounce back from their embarrassing 1-2 defeat in the preceding ODI series, where they were drubbed by heavy margins of seven wickets and nine wickets in the last two matches.
Bangladesh had won four successive ODI series over the past eight months following a first-ever appearance in the World Cup quarterfinals.
“(Test cricket) is a different format but the way we came back against South Africa in the ODI series is a testament of our progress”, Bangladesh test captain Mushfiqur Rahim said.
“The biggest challenge will be their bowlers”, he said.
“We have to move on”.
“It was a disappointing finish to our one-day series after starting well in the T20′s”, Domingo said, referring to their 2-0 win in Twenty20 global series before the ODIs.
“We have done so well in the one-day cricket, the new challenge for us is to replicate that in the tests”.
The world’s prime check aspect welcome again tempo spearhead Dale Steyn for the collection however will probably be with out batting mainstay AB de Villiers, who has been granted paternity depart.
The second and final Test will be played in Dhaka from July 30 to August 3.
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South Africa: Hashim Amla (capt), Stiaan van Zyl, Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis, JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Simon Harmer.
