October 11 Friday 2002
Bangladesh set record for most defeats

KIMBERLEY, South Africa: Bangladesh slid to a world record 23rd successive one-day international defeat when South Africa beat them by seven wickets in the third and final one-day international at De Beers Diamond Oval here on Wednesday. 

Bangladesh's losing sequence, which started after their surprise win over Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup in England, exceeded the record they established when they lost their first 22 matches between 1986 and 1998, before they became a Test nation. 

South Africa completed a 3-0 series sweep but did not crush the tourists as convincingly as they did in the first two matches, which they won by 168 runs and ten wickets. 

There were some bright moments for the battered tourists, who were bowled out for 151 after winning the toss. Habibul Bashar made a stroke-filled 51 off 67 balls as he and Sanwar Hossein (23) took the fight to the South African bowlers in a third wicket stand of 68. Then skipper Khaled Mashud and all-rounder Khaled Mahmud put on 37 for the seventh wicket. But the rest of the batting crumbled. Mashud said the stand between Bashar and Hossain had been encouraging. "But we did not have enough good partnerships." Bashar, 30, one of the most experienced players in a young Bangladeshi squad, was not picked for the first two matches. He batted with more assurance than any other touring batsman as he made the highest score for Bangladesh in the series. 

South African captain Shaun Pollock ended the stand between Bashar and Hossein when he trapped Hossein lbw, then dismissed Tushar Imran two balls later. Pollock, unusually, did not take the new ball and only came on after 11 overs. Recalled Steve Elworthy opened the bowling with Makhaya Ntini. The change seemed to work. Elworthy took the first two wickets within the first five overs, while Pollock finished with four for 24. 

Pollock said the change was suggested by the selectors. "We are working out different options and combinations. What we do in future matches will depend on conditions and who is picked." Bangladesh's youthful pace bowlers, Tapash Baisya, debutant Anwar Hossain and Talha Jubair, all caused problems for the South African top order batsmen early on, gaining some movement through the air and off a pitch which had some uneven bounce. 

They let themselves down, by conceding too many wides and no-balls. There were 30 extras in the South African total. Herschelle Gibbs, who made 116, 116 retired hurt, 153 and 97 not out in his previous four international innings, was out for 15 and Graeme Smith struggled to 21. Martin van Jaarsveld, playing his second match for South Africa but batting for the first time, hit an impressive 42 off 33 balls, with nine fours, before newcomer Ashwell Prince and veteran Jonty Rhodes took South Africa to victory with 24.2 overs to spare.