“We thought it was going to turn, and not really nip,” Rabada said of the pitch where 16 wickets fell on the opening day
KAGISO Rabada said he didn’t have his 300th Test wicket on his mind when the first Test against Bangladesh started on Monday, but was “really surprised at how the wicket played out” – 16 wickets fell on the day – and once the ball started seaming, he knew he was in business.

“We thought it was going to turn, and not really nip, but with the new ball, there was a bit of movement,” Rabada said after the day’s play. “Not really much swing, but off the wicket, there was quite a bit of seam movement.
“To be fair, that’s actually how it played in the nets. Generally, what you get in the nets is what you’ll get similarly in the middle. It’s turning for the spinners and seaming for the seamers too. We found that quite surprising. We don’t prepare the pitches, but that’s what was prepared, and it’s as simple as that.”

Wiaan Mulder started things off with a burst of three wickets, preying on the Bangladesh top-order batters’ expansive strokes. Rabada got among the wickets in his second spell at around the hour-mark, and also reached a special milestone – his 300th Test wicket, and he became the fastest to the landmark in all these years of Test cricket, beating Waqar Younis’ 24-year-old record.

Before he bowled a ball, however, Rabada was worried about how South Africa was going to force the issue, having been asked to bowl first at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, a ground with a reputation of producing raging turners. But between them, Mulder and Rabada had the home side at 45 for five in the 20th over.

When Mushfiqur Rahim became the fourth batter to fall, Rabada had his landmark wicket. And it was a special delivery that did it – swinging enough and nipping in slightly to take out both the off and middle stumps.
“When I came on to bowl this morning, I wasn’t really thinking about that final wicket,” Rabada said. “I was more focused on how we were going to win this Test, especially after losing the toss and bowling first. But when it happened, it was just a relief. Everyone plays for milestones, but it was a relief. The way my team-mates support me, we support each other, and that felt really good.

“It’s a special moment. As for the record, I didn’t know about it, but I guess it motivates me to do even better.”

Rabada became the sixth South Africa bowler to 300 Test wickets after Dale Steyn (439), Shaun Pollock (421), Makhaya Ntini (390), Allan Donald (330) and Morne Morkel (309).(ESPNcricinfo)