South Africa’s U19 team couldn’t replicate the success of the senior side as they lost the first Youth ODI against Bangladesh U19 by eight wickets in Durban on Sunday.
The Bangladesh under-19s opening pair of Pinak Ghosh and Joyraz Sheik shared a 135-run opening stand to set their side up for victory at Kingsmead in Durban.
Ghosh and Sheik scored 60 and 50 respectively to give their side the best possible start to the seven-match Youth One-Day International series.
The young Proteas were restricted to 184-9 in their allotted overs after they were put in to bat by the visitors. Abdul Halim (3-22) and Mehedi Hasan Miraz (2-27) were the most successful with the ball, taking five wickets between them.
The hosts found it difficult to keep their wickets intact and struggled to form lasting partnerships. Liam Smith was the first to depart for one in the second over, but just as Dean Foxcroft and Rivaldo Moonsamy got their 39-run, second-wicket partnership going, Halim removed the former for 16 runs in the 12th over. Moonsamy (27) followed soon after, followed by skipper Tony De Zorzi (9), and Dayyaan Galiem (6).
It was Wiaan Mulder who revived the innings, scoring 62 off 102 balls to help steer the side in the right direction. Other notable contributions included Moonsamy’s 27 off 49 and Aaqil Ebrahim’s 19 from 32, adding calm to the innings when the side needed it most. Aaqil Ebrahim put on the highest partnership (48 runs for the seventh wicket) with Mulder.
Bangladesh’s response was a calculated and concerted effort between the opening pair. Sheik reached his half century in 97 balls before Galiem put an end to his innings, while Ghosh used 113 deliveries to reach his 60. The third-highest run score of 37 runs came in the form of extras conceded.
South Africa’s coach, Lawrence Mahatlane said: ‘It was a disappointing game. I think our disciplines let us down, we got into trouble early on with the bat, but I think we did well to get 180-odd. I thought we were in the game with that score but we let ourselves down with the ball, to concede almost 40 runs in extras is criminal.’
He looks forward to seeing how his young side will bounce back from their loss.
‘We’ll be working hard to rectify what happened today and I believe we can redeem ourselves, it’s still a long tour,’ Mahatlane continued. ‘If we can get our disciplines right, then the results will look after themselves. We just need to follow our processes so that we don’t find ourselves on the back foot again.’
The second ODI will be at the same ground on Tuesday.
Picture: WICB
