DARWIN, 21 July 2003 — Australia crushed Bangladesh by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test yesterday, making Steve Waugh the most successful captain in Test history.

Needing 310 to make the home team bat again, Bangladesh were bowled out for 178 in their second innings half an hour after lunch on the third day.

Waugh, who scored an unbeaten century in Australia’s total of 407 for seven to become only the second player to make hundreds against every Test-playing nation, claimed his 37th win as skipper, eclipsing the record of 36 set by West Indian Clive Lloyd. It is doubtful whether Waugh, named man of the match, has had many easier victories in his 50 matches in charge of Australia, but the 38-year-old said Bangladesh were not as easy as everyone expected.

“It went pretty much according to plan. Bangladesh batted better in the second innings but we always expected to win,” Waugh said.

Bangladesh, yet to win a match after being elevated to Test status three years ago, failed to offer any serious challenge to the world’s top-ranked team in what proved to be a mismatch. They were skittled out for 97 in the first innings but showed some hint of resistance second time round with Habibul Bashar, the only Bangladesh player to reach 1,000 Test runs, top-scoring with 54.

Al Sahariar made 36 and Hannan Sarkar 35 but only one other player reached double figures as leg spinner Stuart MacGill ripped through the batting order with five wickets.

“There’s a couple of positives but really there’s a fair bit of distance between the two teams,” Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore said. MacGill captured the vital wicket of Bashar when he bowled him with a googly, triggering a collapse that brought the match to an abrupt end.

Proteas’ Top Order in the Runs Against India A

In Arundel, England, Africa’s top four batsmen showed their class with a half-century apiece against India A yesterday in what was the Proteas’ last match before next week’s first Test against England.

At stumps on the second day of their three-day tour match, South Africa were 342 for five, a first innings lead of 23, in reply to India A’s 319.

But although all the quartet made it to 75 not one of them made a hundred.

Jacques Rudolph came closest with 83. But with two overs left in the day he edged paceman Aavishkar Salvi through to Test wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel. Rudolph faced 138 balls including 12 fours. And three balls later Salvi struck again, clean bowling wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for nought.

Salvi, who persevered well, finished the day with two for 55 from 18 overs.

Earlier Rudolph and fellow left-hander Gary Kirsten (75) put on 171 for the third wicket. They carried on from where openers Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs (both 79), who shared a 150 first-wicket partnership, left off on a placid pitch.

Kirsten batted without concern until he inexplicably set off for an impossible single, hesitated and was comfortably run out by Irfan Pathan junior’s direct underarm hit from mid-off.

His dismissal was the start of a mini-collapse that saw South Africa 335 for two at one stage lose their next three wickets for six runs.