De Villiers seals series win for South Africa as Bangladesh struggle

AB de Villiers hit an unbeaten half century to steer South Africa to a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh and an unassailable 2-0 lead in their one-day series yesterday.

JP Duminy added an unbeaten 49 in a 119-run fourth wicket partnership to seal the three-match series. South Africa beat Bangladesh by nine wickets in the first one-dayer in Chittagong on Sunday.

For Bangladesh, left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak took two for 32, as the home side put early pressure on the tourists, but with South Africa only having to chase down a target of 174, the odds were always against Bangladesh. Opener Herschelle Gibbs (3) was trapped lbw by Mortaza in the fifth over with score at 13. The second wicket of the innings fell when Hashim Amla was caught and bowled by Razzak on 16 in the 13th over. Captain Graeme Smith (28) was the next to go when he was bowled by Razzak.

De Villiers faced 112 balls, hitting two fours and a six to confirm the victory, sealed off a delivery from the occasional spin of Tamim Iqbal.

Earlier Roqibul Hassan and Shakib Al Hasan had hit half centuries as Bangladesh were dismissed for 173. South Africa's pacer Andre Nel finished for 4 for 27 and Charl Langeveldt took 3 for 31.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat, but the hosts were in tatters after they lost four wickets for 18 runs. Opener Iqbal was bowled by Nel with the third ball of the innings for a duck. Roqibul joined Shakib for a fifth-wicket partnership with Roqibul (63) hitting his maiden one-day half century and Shakib (52) got his sixth one-day fifty.

The third and final one-dayer will be played in Dhaka tomorrow.