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South Africa started the series as the second top Team in Test cricket.� The home side was never expected to be troubled in their series against Bangladesh.� They were not.� Bangladesh crumbled in the same way they have in every Test they have played.�
Bangladesh's record now stands at 15 Test with one draw and 14 losses.� The draw occurred when rain prevented play on the final two days of the Test against Zimbabwe in November 2001 when an innings defeat was imminent.
Bangladesh has lost ten Tests by an innings.� Seven of their last eight Tests were lost by an innings.� The other four margins involved 288 runs or at least eight wickets.
No team in history has started Test cricket so badly.� Every time Bangladesh strides from the ground, they set a new world record low rating.� They are now rated on 826 points with an 85-point margin separating them from ninth placed Zimbabwe.� That margin is almost as large as first paced Australia's lead over second placed South Africa.
Bangladesh has shown no sign of improvement over the two years they have been playing Test cricket.� With the recent rash of losses by an innings, they appear to be getting worse.
Whenever Bangladesh bats they play like a one day game and try to score at five runs per over.� While Australia can do this regularly in a Test, Bangladesh are not in the same class in the same way that a splinter is not constitute an old growth gum tree.� Bangladesh?s bowling attack has also seldom taken more than 8 wickets in a Test match.�
The wisdom of rejecting Kenya's application to enter Test ranks earlier in 2002 is amplified by Bangladesh's performances.� Perhaps if Kenya can defeat Bangladesh in a three match series of four-day games then their application should be taken seriously.�
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has lost 54 rating points over the last two years and they are rapidly sinking toward the 800-point barrier.
The South Africans would have enjoyed the opportunity to get the rust out of their game after a seven-month break.� Their last outing consisted of five losses to Australia with only the one win.
South Africa next face the Sri Lankans in November and they will be looking for a similarly emphatic victory against a much tougher opponent.� Sri Lanka is currently ranked fifth.
The latest Test cricket ratings are: 1. Australia (1230); 2. South Africa (1138); 3. Pakistan (1065); 4. England (1059); 5. Sri Lanka (1041); 6. India (1032); 7. New Zealand (1025); 8. West Indies (1009); 9. Zimbabwe (911); 10. Bangladesh (826).
