Maharaj guides South Africa to Test series win over West Indies

GEORGETOWN (Agencies): Keshav Maharaj took three wickets to lead South Africa to a 40-run win over West Indies in the second Test in Georgetown on Saturday and become his country’s most successful spin bowler. South Africa completed victory inside three days after bowling West Indies out for 222, having set them a target of 263 to win the match. The rain-affected first game in Trinidad was drawn but the second Test victory means South Africa have won 10 successive series against the Windies. Maharaj, named man of the series, finished with 3-37, going past Hugh Tayfield’s tally of 170 test wickets to set a new standard for South African spin bowling.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rababa, who also took three wickets, is now on 299 Test victims. It was a close call for the touring side in a low scoring match as the Windies fell agonisingly short. They begun their chase with more than two days to play, but lost opener Mikyle Louis cheaply for four as he nicked a catch to Wiaan Mulder at slip off Rabada. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite was the next man out but not before adding 42 runs with Keacy Carty for the second wicket. When the experienced Jason Holder fell without scoring to leave west Indies on 104-6, it looked an uphill task for the home team.

Joshua da Silva and Gudakesh Motie, however, shared the best Windies partnership of the series, adding 77 runs to reduce the target to 82, before Motie was lbw to Maharaj for a Test-best 45. Maharaj trapped Da Silva lbw for 27 and a brilliant one- handed diving catch from skipper Temba Bavuma sent back Shamar Joseph before Maharaj had Jayden Seales was caught by close-in fielder David Bedingham. South Africa had resumed in the moring on 223-5 with a 239-run lead but the 22-year-old Seales ran through the tail to return Test best figures of 6-61 as the last five wickets fell for 22 runs.

Windies captain excited about prospects despite series defeat:

Meanwhile, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite is excited about the prospects of a young test bowling attack and batting line-up but said more mental fortitude was needed after their Test series defeat to South Africa. The West Indians were beaten by 40 runs on Saturday at the Providence Stadium in Georgetown to lose the two-match series after the first test in Trinidad & Tobago ended in a draw. It was a 10th successive series loss to South Africa for the Windies, who have won three of 34 tests between the two teams, but Brathwaite insisted there were positives to be drawn from the two matches. He pointed to the performances of quick bowlers Shamar Joseph, 24, and Jayden Seales, 22, as well as the spin duo of Gudakesh Motie and Jomel Warrican. Joseph took five wickets in the first innings and Seales returned his best test figures of 6-61 in the second innings to ensure an exciting contest. “The guys have a lot of potential and talent, and they just come out and do it, they have a lot of skill,” Brathwaite told reporters.

But the home batting line-up fell short of a 263-run target South Africa set them to win on Saturday, bundled out at crucial junctures despite showing determination. “It’s important to continue to keep learning as batters. We just got to keep thinking about our game, finding ways to improve. It is for us to aim to do it more consistently and I think mentally, find ways to be better,” added the Windies captain. “I’d say the future is very bright, especially with our fast-bowling unit. But I must say, I’m very excited about the batting unit too,” added Bathwaite. “I really think the line-up that we have can do the job. Obviously being mentally tough is most important in playing Test matches. We’ve been asking for more Test matches to play,” he said.

Brief scores:

South Africa 160 (Piedt 38 not out, Bedingham 28, Joseph 5-33, Seales 3-45) and 246 (Verreynne 59, Markram 51, Seales 6-61) beat West Indies 144 (Holder 54 not out, Mulder 4-32, Burger 3-49) and 222 (Motie 45, Maharaj 3-37, Rabada 3-50) by 40 runs.