Here is the report from The Oval ...

We’ve had a few one-sided games at this World Cup (read: all of them), but today was a lot of fun. South Africa were always behind but weren’t quite out of it until the end. And when Bangladesh used to win, it was a huge upset. These days it’s just a result. They looked the goods and their supporters lapped it up.

Thanks for all your correspondence today. Will Ryan writes in. “Been loving all the sassy commentary from the Guardian, thanks for an entertaining Sunday... Can’t wait for the highlights!” I don’t know that I’ve ever been called sassy. I feel like Meg Ryan.

Andy Bradshaw writes, “The most depressing thing for SA fans is that you can’t even call this a choke, it’s been inevitable since about the 20th over of the Bangladesh innings.” Quite so.

And Peter Salmon to see us out. “Not sure how many of your other correspondents are having to read Derrida’s ‘Specters of Marx’ as they follow the game, but just had a very, very interesting moment.I was reading an analysis of Hamlet’s phrase ‘Time is out of joint’ and how the aporia implied is related to the notion of anachrony in Marx, when I flipped over to OBO to see your sentence ‘Duminy reviews, but it won’t help him’. Strangely, until I refreshed I didn’t get the rest of the paragraph, just the next few overs with Duminy still batting despite your injunction - in other words a superb example of just the sort of aporia to which Derrida is referring, especially as it made the dismissed Duminy appear to continue as a sort of spectral presence, at once dismissed and yet still in. Quite a thing, hope your other readers are as amused by the whole thing as I am, and they can feel free to tell the story at their next dinner party as I intend to. Cricket, hey?!”

Enough from me today. I’m off to romance Tom Hanks.

50th over: South Africa 309-8 (Rabada 13, Tahir 10) Six first ball from Rabada! Short from Mustafizur and his opposing fast bowler pulls the ball way into the crowd at the Vauxhall End. Five more of those and South Africa would win. They need 27. But the Fizz lands his yorker, and the next two balls are a dot and a run. Tahir swings and misses at the fourth, before lumping the fifth over cover for two. Last ball of the match and he is... slicing two more behind point! That’s it! Bangladesh win!

49th over: South Africa 298-8 (Rabada 6, Tahir 6) Lots of swinging, lots of clouting, lots of effort. And the result, against Saifuddin, is seven runs in ones and twos. The game is gone.

James Walsh emails in. “As Bangladesh head for a well deserved victory (anti-jinx), I excitedly googled the terrestrial highlights in excited anticipation of seeimg what you’ve been describing. They’re on at 12:20am. FFS.”

Cricket and television in England really have a dysfunctional relationship.

48th over: South Africa 291-8 (Rabada 1, Tahir 4) Well well. Lungi Ngidi hasn’t come out to bat with his hamstring strain. They’ve sent Imran Tahir out instead. He was out first ball against England, and averages 8 in ODIs. So that doesn’t bode well for Ngidi. Mustafizur holds a line on the off stump, and Tahir swings and misses. Swings and misses. Swings and misses. Finally decides to steer rather than boom, and gets two runs square of third man. Then does connect with a drive, that hangs wide of long off and lands safely. Rabada gets strike for the next over.

40 from 12 required. Imagine Tahir’s celebration if he sorts this out.

47th over: South Africa 287-7 (Duminy 45, Rabada 1) Very literally for South Africa, it’s time to go hard or go home. And Duminy does! Goes hard at a ball on his pads, and splits the outfield gap between midwicket and long-on. Perfect placement. Then gets a wider ball and cuts, perfectly, to beat deep point! Cut that ball in front of square, out through cover. Outstanding placement. Takes a single from the fifth ball. Rabada misses the last. They need 44 from 18.

46th over: South Africa 276-7 (Duminy 35, Rabada 0) The ball before his dismissal, Morris carved the Fizz away over cover for four, audaciously. But the over ends up costing 8 runs and taking the wicket. And South Africa need 55 from 24 balls.

45th over: South Africa 268-6 (Duminy 31, Morris 6) A real mixed lollies affair from the young Saiffudin. First he tries a bouncer which trampolines and is called a wide. Then he bowls a bouncer which is counted as his one for the over, but he oversteps in the process. Then for the free hit, he bowls a perfect wide yorker that Morris can only squeeze for one run. Duminy gets a couple to third man, Morris heaves a single to mid-off, but South Africa just cannot find the boundary with any consistency. The pitch isn’t helping and the bowling has been tight.

The over costs 9, but SA need 63 in 30. A huge over could still change it but they haven’t looked like having one all day.

44th over: South Africa 259-6 (Duminy 26, Morris 4) No boundaries conceded by Shakib, and that’s about all that matters now. Seven runs from the over when South Africa need 12.

43rd over: South Africa 252-6 (Duminy 23, Morris 0) The over had started alright for SA, with Duminy deflecting a yorker for four. But the wicket later in the over slows up the rate again. South Africa need 79 from 42. You can’t see it happening.

42nd over: South Africa 244-5 (Duminy 17, Phehlukwayo 7) “Hello Geoff,” writes Matthew Doherty. “Do we have any idea who the new Klusener is?”

Assuming that I’m following Matthew’s drift, the new Klusener is anyone who bats at No7 or lower and has recently hit a boundary. So Phehlukwayo is the new Klusener, taking over from Rashid Khan who yesterday was the new Klusener, until tomorrow when Mohammad Amir will be the new Klusener.

JP Duminy never was the old Klusener, but he sweeps a boundary from Shakib, which helps. The dot balls to Phehlukwayo do not help. He turns in his Klusener badge and his Klusener gun.

41st over: South Africa 238-5 (Duminy 12, Phehlukwayo 6) Thwacko. That’s what Phehlukwayo can do, as a ball of muscle. He smacks Mortaza through cover and speeds him to the rope. Some singles, a brace. The over yields 10, which is 0.33 runs fewer than South Africa needed, on average.

93 needed from 54 balls, if that’s a clearer formulation.

40th over: South Africa 228-5 (Duminy 8, Phehlukwayo 0)

That is a wicket maiden, ladies and gentlefolk, in the 40th over of a One-Day International in the year of Our Lorde 2019.

Andile Phehlukwayo comes in ahead of Chris Morris, and blots out five balls.

39th over: South Africa 228-4 (van der Dussen 41, Duminy 8) Mehidy calms it all down again. Duminy tries one lofted shot but it chips and only yields two runs. Three singles are the other scores. The angle of ascent steepens.

38th over: South Africa 223-4 (van der Dussen 39, Duminy 5) It’s been time to swing for a while, and van der Dussen gets the memo. Facing Mustafizur, with pace to work with. A top edge nets two runs for Rassie, then he leans back and powers the ball over long-on for six. The South African fans in the crowd finally find voice. And four more as RVDD waits for a shorter ball and cuts backward of point. That’s 15 from the over, and they need 9+.

37th over: South Africa 208-4 (van der Dussen 26, Duminy 4) They just can’t get going, these South Africans! Mehidy Hasan is the bowler now, off-breaker, looping up a couple of full balls, darting a couple, diving to save well off his own bowling. Only three singles from a spinner, with 13 overs to go, when you need 123 runs? Yeesh.

36th over: South Africa 205-4 (van der Dussen 25, Duminy 2) So what was David Miller trying to do in that innings? He’s the kind of player who can make 3, 8 off 15 balls, but today he made 38 from 43. He was playing like a lynchpin and barely played a big shot, even as the required rate crept from a bit over 7 to a bit under 9. It felt like he was trying to do someone else’s job, not his own. And now JP Duminy comes to the crease, less of a hitter and more of a gatherer.

Duminy gets off the mark, but van der Dussen nearly runs himself out, hitting straight to cover and running. Gets sent back, and would have been gone had the throw hit. Just to ease everyone’s nerves, Rassie then gets a leading edge through cover that evades a catch by a metre or so.

35th over: South Africa 201-3 (Miller 38, van der Dussen 24) Saifuddin returns from the Pavilion End. Pace both ways. Surely they’ll go after him, the junior seamer who has already conceded a fair few runs today.

Well, not so much them going after him, but him bowling dross outside leg stump that Miller can pull easily for four. But Saifuddin comes back well, tightening his line, and Miller can only find a single thereafter. The last ball yields a big appeal for leg before, but van der Dussen is judged safe, the ball sliding down.

That rain that was predicted hasn’t appeared, with sunshine at the Oval.

“I miss the duck that used to waddle on, shed a tear, tuck the bat under its arm and walk off, together with the hapless batsman who failed to score,” writes Uma Venkatraman. “Can you convey to the powers behind the telecast to arrange for one?”

I don’t think anyone has less sway with the broadcasters than me, but here’s a treat for you.

34th over: South Africa 196-3 (Miller 33, van der Dussen 24) And luck again! Mustafizur comes back for a new spell, and Miller fancies his bounce and pace. The batsmen slashes off the top edge to third man, as so many one-day batsmen have fallen before. But Mahmudullah can’t judge soon enough whether to come in or hang back to save the boundary. He doesn’t move in fast enough, and in the end a possible catch becomes a half-volley save. Four singles from the over. SA need 8.44, and they’re currently at 5.76.

33rd over: South Africa 192-3 (Miller 31, van der Dussen 22) Missed! More luck for South Africa as van der Dussen tries to cut Mossadek off the line of the stumps. The batsman misses, and the ball skips up and over the middle stump. Past the wicketkeeper for four. I thought that was a top edge, but it’s given as byes. So somehow the ball bounced very high from the spinner.

32nd over: South Africa 183-3 (Miller 29, van der Dussen 19) Four to close the over from Mehidy, after just four singles. It looked like a full toss from behind the batsman, and Miller got down low and went, went, went. A hefty sweep shot connects.

“In each of the four concluded World Cup matches so far, we have seen world-class execution of skills from one side,” writes Abhijato Sensarma. “This has resulted in one-sided matches; we haven’t yet seen The Quintessential Thriller (TQT) we were told to expect many of in this tournament. However, the ongoing match is turning out to be quite the unforeseen treat. The game hangs in balance, and might be our first TQT for the tournament.”

It might. Though if another wicket falls here it could also end up being pretty one-sided. But hope is a bird that sings, etc.

31st over: South Africa 175-3 (Miller 23, van der Dussen 17) Mossadek spins on. Singles, one brace as Miller drives. Six from the over while SA need more than 8 at the moment.

30th over: South Africa 169-3 (Miller 19, van der Dussen 15)

Dropped! Miller is missed at mid-off. The danger man. Shakib the bowler, and Soumya Sarkar gets across but mistimes the jump and can’t hang in mid-air long enough to haul in the catch. Fingertips it away for a couple of runs. Rassie follows up by swatting four through midwicket, then skews a high ball wide of long off, who can’t get across in time to put in a dive at the catch.

29th over: South Africa 157-3 (Miller 15, van der Dussen 7) Miller picks up two singles from Mehidy, and van der Dussen one. SA can’t afford overs like this now.

“I have to say that exclamations of ‘Shot!’ at even poor shots are definitely not restricted to cricket press boxes,” writes Kanishk Srinivasan. “I’m sitting alone in a room in Malaysia watching the match and I’ve been exclaimimg to nobody in particular. I also have the added benefit of not looking silly when I feel the need to rightfully pass judgement on any other shots.”

28th over: South Africa 154-3 (Miller 13, van der Dussen 6) Mortaza is just hanging consistently back of a length. The square boundaries at the Oval are very long, so if the batsmen hit out there then there’s a good chance of an interception. Hence Ben Stokes’ catch against South Africa the other day. But van der Dussen turns the space to his advantage, pinging out to the deep but placing it well enough to get back for the second. Not once, not twice, but three times in the over.

We may be heavy on spin here, but the word from our man Ali Martin is that England will go all-out pace against Pakistan.

27th over: South Africa 147-3 (Miller 12, van der Dussen 0) Rassie van der Dussen the next in. He made a quality 50 here against England a few days ago under pressure. No different today, with that asking rate now at an even 8 per over. That’s 184 from 138 balls, and with Phehlukwayo at No7 it’s a fairly limited batting order.

26th over: South Africa 143-2 (du Plessis 59, Miller 11) Mortaza gives the ball back to himself, and du Plessis responds by immediately scooping a length ball over his shoulder for four. Captain versus captain, and South African version is up and running. They need 7.8 per over and are going at 5.5. If he can hold the required rate at around 8 then they’ll stay in touch.

24th over: South Africa 124-2 (du Plessis 44, Miller 7) The singles game goes on. Four collected from Shakib, who is able to spin the ball in towards the left-handed Miller and cramp him for room.

23rd over: South Africa 115-2 (du Plessis 42, Miller 5) It will indeed be all spin, all the time. Mossadek continues, and has fixed up his grip. A couple of runs to deep backward, then a few singles.

“If we were still allowed to use the words cricket and betting in the same sentence, we could have fun inventing a Newman/ Redford plot inspired profit making plan behind these time shifts...”

Garry Sharp, if not for using a manual keyboard and being up against two spinners, I have a story I could tell about a horse race in Australia in the... 1930s, I think... in the pioneering days of racing on the radio. A wonderful true-life heist.

22nd over: South Africa 115-2 (du Plessis 38, Miller 4) Plenty of caution against Shakib now. Miller blocks out most of the over, happy to take some time.

21st over: South Africa 113-2 (du Plessis 37, Miller 3) A gift from Mossadek to South Africa. Only three singles from the bat that over, but he throws in five wides from a ball that slips out of his hand.

20th over: South Africa 105-2 (du Plessis 36, Miller 1) Interesting, David Miller up the order. He’s the cleanest hitter in this South African team, and I suppose they’ve decided they need to get ahead on DLS in case it rains. Or if it doesn’t they need to be up with the rate anyhow. There’s nearly another run-out, too, coming for a second, but Mehidy’s throw goes awry.

19th over: South Africa 100-1 (Markram 44, du Plessis 33) Another spin option into the fray, with Mossadeck Hossain bowling his off-breaks to the two right-handers. They’ve certainly found the going easier against seam today, so maybe this will be the move for the next 20 overs. Mossadeck bashed a few entertaining runs earlier and now he squeaks through an over conceding three.

18th over: South Africa 97-1 (Markram 42, du Plessis 32) Shot! Say it loud and proud. Faf du Plessis stands up tall against Saifuddin and creams the back-foot drive out through cover. They’re going at 5.4 an over, they need 7.3. So they’re not too far off the pace, and with plenty of wickets in hand, as we break for drinks.

17th over: South Africa 89-1 (Markram 40, du Plessis 26) Field spread. Shakib bowling. You know this tune. No, wait, that’s Charli XCX singing “I love it” on the ground PA.

16th over: South Africa 85-1 (Markram 38, du Plessis 24) Schmack! Mortaza bowls full and du Plessis plays a muscly wallop through extra cover. Several people around me say “Shot!” because that is the law in a cricket press box whenever someone hits a boundary vaguely through cover, even when it’s an awkward heaving sort of drive of the sort that creates hernias. Faf follows up with a much nicer angled drive through genuine cover, making a clean connection, but everyone has already said “Shot!” just before so they can’t say “Shot!” again without sound silly.

15th over: South Africa 75-1 (Markram 37, du Plessis 15) Shakib carries on doing what Shakib does. This time five singles with the field well spread. South Africa are the ones who have to make the running.

14th over: South Africa 70-1 (Markram 35, du Plessis 12) Oof, nearly caught! Faf du Plessis swings Mortaza away through midwicket, but doesn’t get elevation. He’s very nearly held by midwicket but the dive doesn’t quite get there. Singles from every other ball make it a profitable over for South Africa. They’re chasing 331 and they need more than 7 per over from here.

13th over: South Africa 61-1 (Markram 33, du Plessis 5) Shakib rattles through another over for four singles. I can confirm that he is gathering no moss. No moss at all.

12th over: South Africa 57-1 (Markram 31, du Plessis 3) Now the skipper himself to bowl, as Mashrafe Mortaza rings the changes. Markram is more comfortable with seam bowling, and he collects five singles along with du Plessis.

“As your old-fashioned OBO seems to sight based without embedded audio, do I presume that you will be including full notation, or at least basic tablature, for all the guitar bits? Apparently somebody said that some bloke is playing a bat-shaped guitar or something. Probably also not Slash.”

Hard to know, Robin Hazlehurst. Slash hasn’t had much work lately from all evidence, and top hats don’t come cheap.

11th over: South Africa 52-1 (Markram 28, du Plessis 1) Shakib al Hasan, the prince of all-rounders, comes on for his first bowl. Markram is suitably chastened and repentantly blocks out most of the over and takes only a single. The fast of the penitent. (It was Quinton’s fault, really.)

10th over: South Africa 51-1 (Markram 27, du Plessis 1) More consternation in the crowd as they fancy another run-out on a quick single. But Markram and his captain make it to the end of Mehidy’s over.

9th over: South Africa 48-0 (de Kock 23, Markram 25) Mohammad Saifuddin, the young seamer, comes on for a roll. Markram times him nicely through cover for four, but he nearly gets de Kock. The SA dasher advances, gets a massive leading edge trying to play to midwicket, and somehow it clears backwards point and goes for four.

8th over: South Africa 39-0 (de Kock 19, Markram 20) Mehidy calms things down with an over of four singles. Bangladesh have had a few near-misses, but they could yet be punished if this partnership settles.

7th over: South Africa 35-0 (de Kock 17, Markram 18) Nearly a run out! Mad from Markram, he hits Mustafizur hard and straight at mid-off, but runs anyway. Sprinting down and Mahmudullah has time to throw but misses. Would have cooked him by miles. Then there’s a raucous shout against de Kock but it would have been going down leg. And Markram finishes the over by edging through first slip, but Mortaza has already taken his catcher out. Why? Whyyyyyyy?

“I quite like the delay of the manual keyboard,” writes Peter Salmon. “It must be what it was like back in the day when the commentary would be relayed by cable and read out to the sound of pencil ends hitting desks. Why not a typewriter? Don a trilby, type it up, then run into a phone booth at the end of each over and dictate it down the line to Cheryl on the switchboard in Salford Quays. Assuming that’s not how it works now.”

In fact the accuracy of your description is eerie. Do you have a camera in here?

6th over: South Africa 28-0 (de Kock 15, Markram 13) De Kock tries the back-away-slash again, but Mehidy has packed the off side and it finds the field. This after a ball that he nicked onto his pads. The sensible thing would be to get off strike, and de Kock eventually drives a single to long off. Tidy over, but Bangladesh need an early wicket to maintain their ascendancy.

5th over: South Africa 27-0 (de Kock 14, Markram 13) I take back everything I said. This over Markram lines up Mustafizur with an enormous straight drive that doesn’t hit anything. The ball was just too short for the shot and decked away with the left-armer’s angle across the right-hander. So the next ball Markram stands up tall and punches square instead, beating point for four. And as the Fizz adjusts his line closer to off stump, Markram steps across to open up the leg side, and flicks the ball away through midwicket for four more. That’s a hell of a shot to a ball that wasn’t at all full.

“If only there was some way to magically transmit your words across the airwaves rather than having to write them, people would then be able to listen to you via some sort of electric receiver instead of writing in to complain, causing even more delay.” Nonsense, Mark Hooper. We don’t live in fantasy land. I suppose you want to start a new life under the sea? It’s not going to happen.

4th over: South Africa 19-0 (de Kock 14, Markram 5) Slash! No, not the Guns N Roses guitarist. Quinton de Kock doesn’t like hanging around, so even against an off-spinner he takes his chances. Backs away to Mehidy and flays a ball off his stumps to the point boundary. Hot.

3rd over: South Africa 15-0 (de Kock 10, Markram 5) Aiden Markram does enjoy Test cricket, and Mustafizur is Bangladesh’s most dangerous bowler. So Markram decides to take the conservative route to this over, defending stoutly. Mustafizur makes him play at every ball, and the last gets him two runs thanks to a deflection in the gully.

2nd over: South Africa 13-0 (de Kock 10, Markram 3) Mehidy Hasan will open the bowling from the Vauxhall End with some tidy off-spin. Markram takes a single, exposing his left-handed partner to bowling that turns away. And it draws an edge immediately, but one that beats the slip and skips away for four. A sequence of singles follow.

“A manual keyboard?” expostulates Andrew Benton on email. “What other types are there? And there I was, thinking you had a long suffering secretary helping you out. But maybe it isn’t you after all? How can we know? George Orwell was Eric Blair, George Eliot was Mary Ann Evans, Cary Grant was Archie Leach, Geoff Lemon, the real Geoff Lemon, who are you?”

I could have built a machine to do the typing for me. A certain amount of double handling, to be fair. But it would also remove all handling from the equation. Confused? I am.

“I shall be reading your account with my manual eye-set, so fear not, I shall accept all time variations,” writes Ant. “In fact, being in France, I am already one hour ahead, but I promise not to give the score away.”

In the ending, Charles de Gaulle gets an airport named after him. The ultimate honour. Everyone loves airports.

1st over: South Africa 4-0 (de Kock 4, Markram 0) Here we go. One slip in place. Quinton de Kock on strike, the left-hander. Mustafizur Rahman, such an exciting fast bowler. He gets some lift out of this pitch immediately, drawing a miscue from de Kock outside off stump that bounces hard into the ground and into the cordon. The batsman waits out a couple of balls, then opens his blade plays gorgeously over backward point for four! No swing, just placement, timing the ball on the bounce over the fieldsman. Gets tangled up against the last ball and can’t work it to leg.

If you’re at a loose end during the break and want to know more about Bangladesh cricket, have a go at this podcast on the 1999 World Cup. It’s an interview from Guardian writer Adam Collins with that Bangladesh’s 1999 captain Aminul Islam, who was instrumental in getting Test status for his country and starting them on their path to where they are today.

The Greatest Season That Was.

Indeed. I’m sorry to say that I’m also reduced to using a manual keyboard for this exercise this afternoon, so at times these updates may be two minutes behind real time. If you are relying on me for pitch-siding, then your strategy requires a rethink. But if you want to create our own alternate timeline in which nothing happens until I say it, then I am happy to act as the deity in this particular universe. In the beginning was the word, and without the word no reality can exist.

As a neutral, what a lot of fun that was. Bangladesh batted with verve and vigour, but most importantly with complete confidence. Imagine saying five years ago that they would smash 300 against South Africa in a World Cup. The crowd at the Oval is so into this match – they were cheering those Phehlukwayo wides as though they were the winning runs in a final.

So, South Africa need 331 to win. And they are in a deal of trouble. Bangladesh played beautifully, but South Africa’s bowling was erratic and their fielding shoddy. Geoff Lemon will talk you through the run-chase in around 30 minutes’ time. You can email him on geoff.lemon@theguardian.com. Bye!

“The worst live update coverage,” sniffs Martin Thompson. “The bloody game was over and your update was still showing the action from the 49th over!”

Ah yes, I forgot to say earlier in the innings that our mind-reading software isn’t working today, so I had to type my thoughts instead.

50th over: Bangladesh 330-6 (Mahmudullah 46, Mehidy 5) What a finish this is from Bangladesh. The last six overs of the innings have brought 70, including 14 from Rabada’s final over. Mahmudullah flicked the first ball into the crowd at midwicket, a gorgeous bit of timing and wristwork, and then Mehidy slammed his first delivery through extra cover for four. Wonderful, stirring stuff; the two runs off the last delivery mean this is Bangladesh’s highest ever ODI score!

49th over: Bangladesh 316-6 (Mahmudullah 37) This is now the second highest score against South Africa in a World Cup match. The record is Australia’s 377 for six in 2007. South Africa won the toss that day as well.

48th over: Bangladesh 302-5 (Mahmudullah 24, Mosaddek 26) Phehlukwayo guides Bangladesh closer to 300 by bowling consecutive wides, and they also get an extra run when van der Dussen’s throw riocochets off the stumps. South Africa have been shoddy in the field. An expansive drive over extra cover from Mahmudullah takes Bangladesh past 300 for only the second time in a World Cup match.

“Hi Rob,” says Eugene Chester. “Is there a guitarist at the ground today? I heard one on the radio coverage yesterday and a friend told me they caught a glimpse on TV of a man apparently playing a cricket bat at Bristol! Any idea what that’s all about?”

Nope, I’ve not heard anything about that. Sounds interesting though!

47th over: Bangladesh 291-5 (Mahmudullah 18, Mosaddek 23) Mahmudullah is dropped off the bowling by Rabada at deep square leg off the bowling of Morris. He ran in too far, had to turn round and seemed to lose sight of the ball as it dropped over his shoulder. It went through his hands and bounced miserably over the boundary for four.

It’s the start of a very expensive over - 15 from it! Mosaddek lashed the last two balls to the fence, a muscular pull followed by a scorching cover drive.

46th over: Bangladesh 276-5 (Mahmudullah 12, Mosaddek 14) Bangladesh have only scored 300 once before in a World Cup match, against Scotland in 2015. Their highest score against a Test-playing nation in a World Cup is 288 for seven against New Zealand in the same tournament.

Rabada returns to bowl his penultimate over ... and nothing much happens. Five from it.

45th over: Bangladesh 271-5 (Mahmudullah 10, Mosaddek 11) Phehlukwayo is unlucky when Mosaddek, well beaten for pace, top-edges a tennis shot over the keeper’s head for four. Mosaddek tries again next ball, and this time he nails it through mid-on for four more. Bangladesh should reach 300 from here.

44th over: Bangladesh 260-5 (Mahmudullah 8, Mosaddek 2) Imran Tahir’s final over goes for three runs. His figures don’t look that great (10-0-57-2), but the timing of those wickets was vital. Might even be matchwinning.

“Enjoyable as the Proteas struggles are, they do lack the sort of easy-to-dislike characters they had in the past,” says Dave Adams. “Even Duminy was one of the least objectionable of the Graeme Smith-era team. Indeed many teams seem to lack the utter shithousery of years past. David Warner is a modern panto villain, but would’ve looked like a choirboy among (say) the Aussies’ 1989 touring side. Are players becoming more like the ‘role models’ the media keeps saying they should be? Am I just becoming an old git? “

The latter, and I say that with empathy.

43rd over: Bangladesh 257-5 (Mahmudullah 6, Mosaddek 1) In the last eight overs, South Africa have taken three wickets for 40 runs. This is turning into a terrific game.

“Hi Rob,” says Rob Razzell. “I was idly leafing through this year’s Wisden when I saw reference to ‘Rob Smyth, a cricket writer based in Orkney’. Are there two Rob Smyths? Surely you’re bashing this out from a bedsit in Sittingbourne? PS why will India’s first game be South Africa’s third? Seems bizarre.”

There are two Rob Smyths, but only if you count my moodswings. As for the other question, that was explained earlier - basically, it’s because India said so.

42nd over: Bangladesh 250-4 (Mushfiqur 78, Mahmudullah 4) Mahmudullah survives a big LBW appeal after pushing around Tahir’s googly. Tahir was desperate to review, but South Africa have none left. That was close.

“So 190 x 2 = 380 = on for 400 QED,” sniffs Andy Bradshaw. “Also, the Liverpool mailing list wasn’t me, but I could always sign you up to the Man Citeh one.”

41st over: Bangladesh 245-4 (Mushfiqur 76, Mahmudullah 1) A very good over from Morris, who concedes just one and gives Mahmudullah a few problems with the short ball.

40th over: Bangladesh 244-4 (Mushfiqur 75, Mahmudullah 1) “I was at the Oval on Thursday,” begins Graham Pierce, “and can say:

“1) it seemed to be the head of a guitar and body of a cricket bat. Like a chimera but much more boring.
2) I don’t think the PR gurus who dreamt it up considered the possibility of 18 wickets falling. The guy playing it seemed to lose inspiration and possibly his will to live about halfway through the chase.
3) I am still optimistic that they’ll make him play cricket with an electric guitar for the second half of the tournament.”

39th over: Bangladesh 240-3 (Mushfiqur 73, Mithun 20) “I’m afraid I can’t take ‘credit’ for mailing list hi-jinks,” says Matt Dony. “Or, at least, I’m pretty certain it wasn’t me. Things got a bit hazy by the end of the night...”

How was your breakfast kebab?

38th over: Bangladesh 235-3 (Mushfiqur 72, Mithun 16) Markram returns to the attack, presumably just for one over to complete the Ngidi/Duminy/Markram allotment. His fourth ball is a vile long hop that Mithun pulls for a huge six, and the next delivery is blasted down the ground for four.

“If we double the score at 30 overs, Bangladesh are on for 400,” says Andy Bradshaw. “Which is nice.”

Andy, you need a new calculator.

37th over: Bangladesh 223-3 (Mushfiqur 71, Mithun 5) Rabada is inscrutable at the best of times, and he’s just about managing it at the worst of times. His eighth over is excellent, with just a wide from it. In the context of the innings, his figures are impressive: 8-0-38-0.

36th over: Bangladesh 222-3 (Mushfiqur 71, Mithun 5) The new batsman Mithun hoicks a full toss for four to get off the mark third ball.

“Found myself worrying in the night about a potential flaw in the tournament...” says Pete Salmon. “We’re all pretty much agreed fourth place will need about seven wins, maybe six... So two losses and you are pretty much gone. The Saffers may lose today and become lame ducks. Could we end up with three, four or five lame ducks for the second half? Ok when they play each other I guess, but a team at 1-7 or 2-6 might not be super motivated for the late stages... Thoughts?”

I don’t think that’ll be a huge problem, because you could get through with five wins so most teams will have plenty to play for. And even if they know they’re out, that isn’t always a bad thing. Afghanistan, for example, will be desperate to win every game regardless of the overall situation.

35th over: Bangladesh 217-2 (Shakib 75, Mushfiqur 71) “This is a lot of fun for me at the minute,” says Mac Millings. “I always love to see Bangladesh doing well, and I enjoy watching SA struggle, especially as my Dad (hi, Pops!) is South African. Sadly, though, he apparently watched his team, Liverpool, win some sort of trophy yesterday, in the company of Howard Gayle and Roy Evans, so he’ll be absolutely in-bleedin’-sufferable for the next Every Time I Speak To Him.”

He won’t be insufferable when he’s wrongly imprisoned for putting me on an LFC mailing list.

34th over: Bangladesh 215-2 (Shakib 74, Mushfiqur 70) Four more to Shakib, who tries to drive Tahir and gets a edge that scoots past short third man. With every passing over, South Africa’s hole gets deeper.

33rd over: Bangladesh 207-2 (Shakib 67, Mushfiqur 69) Kagiso Rabada returns to the attack. South Africa desperately need something from him - a hat-trick, a wicket, an epiphany. He manages none of the above.

During the over, the commentator Ian Bishop tells us that Lungi Ngidi will take no further part in the game becaose of his hamstring injury.

32nd over: Bangladesh 200-2 (Shakib 65, Mushfiqur 64) A full toss from Shakib is cuffed over midwicket for four by Shakib. This has been a bruising experience for South Africa, especially as they chose to bowl first.

“300 is the new 220/230,” says Andrew Hurley. “Sometimes competitive, usually not nearly enough.”

After the first few games of this tournament, not to mention last night’s sport, I have no idea

31st over: Bangladesh 194-2 (Shakib 60, Mushfiqur 63) “I haven’t actually been able to watch any of the cricket live so far, but I’ve heard the fella with the bat-shaped guitar described,” says Matt Dony. “Am I right in understanding he’s basically playing famous riffs on repeat and going nowhere with them? That sounds like the perfect gig! It’s basically what I do whenever I pick up a guitar these days! Where do I sign up? (Not today, though. No loud music for the next few hours, please.)”

Matt Dony is a Liverpool fan, folks. And a new suspect in mailinglistgate

30th over: Bangladesh 190-2 (Shakib 59, Mushfiqur 60) Tahir returns to the attack and is swept round the corner for four by Mushfiqur. This is great stuff! I am certain Bangladesh went into this game thinking they would win, but I’m not sure they thought they would be 190 for two after 30 overs.

29th over: Bangladesh 182-2 (Shakib 57, Mushfiqur 54) Mushfiqur reaches a lovely half-century from 52 balls, cutting Phehlukwayo over backward point for four. He’s such a perky, feelgood batsman, unless you’re South African.

28th over: Bangladesh 177-2 (Shakib 57, Mushfiqur 49) I forgot to say thank you to the person who signed me up to the Liverpool FC mailing list. Very good. Very funny. Very very. Meanwhile, Shakib smears Morris’s first ball over midwicket for four. South Africa look powerless to stop this assault, and a Shakib single brings up the hundred partnership from 95 balls. Boring middle overs my foot.

“Great tournament shaping up,” says Bill Hargreaves. “Difficult to predict.”

Not sure I agree. On the evidence so far, Pakistan have got it in the bag.

27th over: Bangladesh 170-2 (Shakib 52, Mushfiqur 48) Phehlukwayo has a biggish LBW appeal against Shakib turned down. Inside edge.

26th over: Bangladesh 166-2 (Shakib 50, Mushfiqur 46) Shakib top-edges Morris for four to reach a classy, authoritative fifty from 54 balls. Bangladesh are playing so well.

“This is the best atmosphere I’ve experienced at a cricket game for a long time!” writes Vivek Madan from the Oval. “Hugely enthusiastic and excited Bangla support all around. Really thrilled for them. Saffer supporters look a little pained though!”

25th over: Bangladesh 160-2 (Shakib 45, Mushfiqur 45) JP Duminy, on for Markram, starts with a lamentable long hop that is creamed for four by Mushfiqur. His first over costs 10, with Mushfiqur driving the last ball immaculately through extra cover for four more. South Africa are officially in the malodorous stuff.

24th over: Bangladesh 150-2 (Shakib 44, Mushfiqur 36) Morris returns to the attack, with South Africa in increasingly desperate need of a wicket. Five from the over, which takes Bangladesh to 150 at better than a run a ball. They have played beautifully.

In other news, I’ve just realised that Lungi Ngidi is off the field with injury as well. This is becoming quite a test of South Africa’s mental strength.

23rd over: Bangladesh 145-2 (Shakib 43, Mushfiqur 32) Mushfiqur, on the run, slices a drive over extra cover for four off Markram. He was aiming straighter but he got enough on it to clear the infield. If I was a South African fan now, I would be pretty worried - especially as their next game is against India.

22nd over: Bangladesh 137-2 (Shakib 41, Mushfiqur 26) Oof! Shakib edges Tahir’s googly wide of slip and away for four. That was beautifully bowled. But it’s another good over - nine from it - for Bangladesh, who are dictating play.

21st over: Bangladesh 128-2 (Shakib 36, Mushfiqur 22) I’d be tempted to bring back Rabada for a couple of overs. At the moment Bangladesh are accumulating comfortably against the spinners, Markram in particular.

20th over: Bangladesh 124-2 (Shakib 34, Mushfiqur 20) Mushfiqur sweeps Tahir round the corner and straight through Morris for four. That was, or should have been, a routine piece of fielding. Tahir then appeals unsuccessfully for I don’t know what when Mushfiqur makes a mess of an attempted scoop. If it did hit the pad, he was well outside the line.

19th over: Bangladesh 117-2 (Shakib 33, Mushfiqur 15) Shakib flashes another back cut for four off Markram, this time with the aid of a misfield. South Africa need a wicket as a matter of urgency, because Bangladesh are on course for 330-350.

18th over: Bangladesh 110-2 (Shakib 28, Mushfiqur 13) It’s time for Imran Tahir. Mushfiqur takes a risky single and is glad to see the throw miss the stumps; that would have been really tight because he had to run around Tahir. Three from the over.

17th over: Bangladesh 107-2 (Shakib 27, Mushfiqur 11) Aiden Markram comes on to bowl some occasional offspin, and Shakib plays a gorgeous late cut for four. South Africa are in a bit of bother here.

“Re: the music, I was at Bristol yesterday and we had the same thing,” says Jon Salisbury. “It’s actually some guy playing live with a bat-shaped guitar, shown on the video screens on the ground.”

Crikey.

16th over: Bangladesh 100-2 (Shakib 21, Mushfiqur 10) Morris digs in a short ball to Shakib, who top edges a hook for six! At first it looked like it would go straight to the substitute Pretorius, running round from long leg, but he couldn’t get there and it landed just over the rope.

15th over: Bangladesh 88-2 (Shakib 11, Mushfiqur 8) Another quiet over from Phehlukwayo, and that’s drinks.

“Rob,” says John Starbuck. “If it were David Lynch, you’d expect Only the Lonely for the long walk back.”

That or the outgoing batsman being savaged by Killer BOB.

14th over: Bangladesh 85-2 (Shakib 9, Mushfiqur 7) A couple of runs from Morris’s second over. The match has settled down after that flying start, and you’d expect a quieter spell as the two teams jockey for position in the next 10 overs.

13th over: Bangladesh 83-2 (Shakib 8, Mushfiqur 6) “Who came up with the weird music after the fall of each wicket at this World Cup?” says Don Wilson. “When we are treated to the opening riffs of rock classic such as Layla, Smoke on the Water or Sweet Home Alabama, one expects the vocals to kick in. Instead the riff just keeps repeating on a loop. It’s most disconcerting.”

It is a bit odd. But on the Disconcertment Scale, it’s not exactly David Lynch, is it?

12th over: Bangladesh 79-2 (Shakib 6, Mushfiqur 4) Mushfiqur slaps a thrilling cut for four off his second ball. Bangladesh are playing with swagger and a complete lack of fear.

“Mr Cox, India will play their first match Wednesday against South Africa, who will be playing their third game,” says Abhijato Sensarma. “This quirk of the fixtures is because the Lodha Committee appointed by the Indian Supreme Court to oversee the BCCI has made it mandatory that the national team won’t play any official international cricket for at least 15 days after the IPL finishes. As a result, India’s opening match was postponed by two days and we landed up with the current set of fixtures.”

It’s comforting to know the BCCI is still the game’s governing body.

11th over: Bangladesh 73-1 (Soumya 41, Shakib 5) Soumya continues his eyecatching innings with a cracking drive over extra cover off Phehlukwayo. That’s his ninth boundary, and he has raced to 41 from 27 balls. His form has been brilliant of late; indeed, since his recall last year he averages 45 with a strike-rate of 110.

10th over: Bangladesh 65-1 (Soumya 36, Shakib 4) Shakib gets off the mark with a muscular cut for four off Rabada. This has been a brilliant start from Bangladesh, and South Africa might be hearing the first strains of the Jaws theme.

“Why are South Africa playing twice before India have played at all,” says John Cox, “or did I miss something?”

I can’t believe you missed India’s defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr. Erm, I don’t know; it’s an oddity of the fixture list.

9th over: Bangladesh 60-1 (Soumya 35, Shakib 0) The superb Shakib Al Hasan is the new batsman.

8th over: Bangladesh 58-0 (Tamim 16, Soumya 35) Apologies, we’re having a few technical problems.

7th over: Bangladesh 50-0 (Tamim 16, Soumya 26) Bangladesh are flying now. Soumya edges Ngidi for four, all along the ground, and laces the next ball beautifully whence it came for four more. Later in the over Ngidi throws the ball back at Tamim, who says nothing and then dumps the next ball through midwicket for four. Bangladesh have scored 36 from the last three overs!

6th over: Bangladesh 37-0 (Tamim 12, Soumya 18) A short ball from Rabada clears de Kock and runs away for four wides. South Africa are suddenly a little ragged, and Tamim gets his first boundary with a swaggering square drive. An irritated abada ends the over with a cracking short ball that hits Tamim on the shoulder.

5th over: Bangladesh 28-0 (Tamim 8, Soumya 18) Ngidi drops short to Soumya, who cracks a pull over midwicket for four. That’s the first really emphatic attacking stroke of the innings, and Soumya repeats it next ball. If anything, the second pull stroke was even better. It made the most beautiful sound off the bat.

Ngidi moves around the wicket in response and finds the edge with a lovely delivery, but the ball goes straight between du Plessis and Markram in the slips before running away for four. Each left it to the other.

4th over: Bangladesh 14-0 (Tamim 7, Soumya 5) Tamim inside-edges Rabada through square leg for a couple. Bangladesh are still struggling to find the middle of the bat.

“I was at the Oval for the warm-up game last weekend,” says Andrew Cosgrove. “It seemed like most of the merch there was 1999 tournament kit with a new badge sewn on. I wondered if it was stuff that’s just been sitting in a warehouse waiting for the next World Cup in England, or if they’ve just printed off new stuff to the same design. It seems odd that the new kits weren’t on sale, though.”

3rd over: Bangladesh 9-0 (Tamim 4, Soumya 4) Tamim drives Ngidi through extra cover for a couple. He didn’t really get hold of it; in fact, both batsmen have struggled to time their attacking strokes in the first few overs. South Africa’s bowlers have started impressively, and Ngidi beat Tamim twice in that over.

2nd over: Bangladesh 7-0 (Tamim 2, Soumya 4) Kagiso Rabada starts with a fine over to Tamim Iqbal, cramping him for room from over the wicket. Tamim edges the final ball along the ground for a single.

1st over: Bangladesh 5-0 (Tamim 1, Soumya 4) The Imran Tahir experiment worked against England but it was a bespoke tactic, and Lungi Ngidi will bowl the first over today. Soumya Sarkar, who has been in great form of late, flick-pulls the first boundary of the innings to the audible delight of the many Bangladesh fans at the Oval.

“South Africa are wearing their yellow away strip as they don’t want to clash with Bangladesh?” sniffs Tim Featherstone-Griffin. “Since when did cricket need away strips? Can I remind everyone that we used to play this game with everyone wearing the same colour!”

Yes, ‘clash kits’ are a thing in this tournament. I like the idea, even though it’s not strictly necessary. And South Africa’s change strip is a beauty.

“It’s a beautiful morning here in South London; if only I could be at the Oval,” says Andrew Cosgrove. “Is Amla out because of the blow to the head on Thursday? If so, does this mean he shouldn’t have come back out to bat again, and cricket really needs to sort out its concussion protocols?”

Yes, and almost certainly. (I’m not a concussion expert – I’m barely a concussion ignorant – so I might be missing something. )

Pre-match reading