Tigers sizzled by AB heat

At 90 for two in the 18th over, with Shakib Al Hasan having hit a groove and dismissing Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis in the same over, it seemed for a brief while that the script may change a bit for Bangladesh in the second ODI at the Boland Park in Paarl. It was only a little while as the man coming in next was AB de Villiers, and from the start he left everyone at the ground in no doubt that any advantage Bangladesh had gained would quickly be a thing of the past. Two hours and 30 overs of resplendent fireworks later, he left the field with his ODI score of 176, scored off just 104 deliveries with seven sixes and 15 fours, having set South Africa comfortably on the path of a total of 353 for six off 50 overs. It was his 22nd ODI century on his first match for the Proteas since the Champions Trophy in June.

Bangladesh's bowling has been poor enough throughout this tour, but it would be redundant to be too harsh on them as De Villiers has laid to better attacks in similar fashion. He dominated two century-plus partnerships after the 90-run opening stand; scoring 86 of the 136 runs put on for the third wicket along with Hashim Amla, who was caught behind off Rubel for 85 in the 36th over, and then scored 90 of the 117 runs added for the fourth wicket with JP Duminy -- a partnership that needed just 70 deliveries.

De Villiers reached his hundred off just 68 balls with a single to mid wicket off Rubel Hossain in the 38th over. He then proceeded to score 76 runs off the next 36 balls. He truly turned it on from the last ball of the 42 nd over, hitting all seven of his sixes and four boundaries in that period, till he was out in the 48th over, trying to his eighth, but only managing to miscue it to Sabbir Rahman at midwicket off Rubel. He hit two successive sixes off Mashrafe Bin Mortaza in the 45th over, repeated the dose off Taskin in the next over, adding a four in the middle. The first of those sixes brought up his 150 in 93 deliveries. Another four and two sixes followed in Mashrafe's next over.

South Africa were headed for a 370-plus total but for De Villiers's dismissal and a two-wicket burst from Rubel in the last over, giving the paceman figures of four for 62 off 10 overs. Shakib was the most economical with two for 60 from 10, and Mashrafe the most expensive, conceding 82 from his 10 overs.