Keshav Maharaj (AFP Images)
At the Wanderers
- South Africa wrapped up the second Test against the West Indies just under an hour before tea on the fourth day when they crushed the West Indies by 284 runs.
- The 2-0 series win means South Africa retain the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy.
- South Africa has injury concerns after Keshav Maharaj seemed to injure his Achilles in the process of celebrating a wicket.
The West Indies made sure they didn’t rain on Temba Bavuma’s century parade when they were bundled out for 106 to lose the second Test against South Africa by 284 runs on Saturday.
The West Indies had done well to bowl South Africa out for 321 after 36 minutes of play, but they proceed to spit the batting dummy and allowed the hosts to run amok in the chase of a series-clinching win.
SA’s rather wide success was dampened by what looked like a serious looking Achilles tendon injury that was sustained by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj on the stroke of lunch.
Maharaj was celebrating the wicket of Kyle Mayers after taking up a leg-before on review that wasn’t given by umpire Paul Reiffel.
Maharaj was in the process of celebrating the wicket that reduced the West Indies to 34/6 in 84 minutes of morning cricket where the visitors couldn’t come to terms with the combination of accurate pace and spin.
He was taken for an MRI scan to determine the nature of his injury, but it looks increasingly likely that he’ll not only miss SA’s limited-overs leg of the season against the West Indies and the Netherlands, but is in danger of missing out on his county spell with Middlesex.
Maharaj’s injury was only downer in what was a successful session for the Proteas that started with Kagiso Rabada (2/19) trapping Kraigg Brathwaite (18) in front to remove him for the fourth consecutive time this season.
Two balls later, Rabada strangled Raymon Reifer (0) down the leg-side to leave the West Indies tottering at 21/2.
Three overs later, it became 25/3 when Tagenarine Chanderpaul (2) was caught at second slip by Dean Elgar off Simon Harmer.
Maharaj (2/4) then got into the act in the next over when he castled Roston Chase (0) as the West Indies sunk to 26/4.
In the next over, it became 26/5 when Jermaine Blackwood (4) hoicked Harmer (3/45) to Bavuma at mid-wicket, effectively ending the West Indies’ fitful resistance that was confirmed by Mayers’ dismissal.
Jason Holder (19) and Josh da Silva (34) put together a seventh-wicket stand of 48 after lunch that gave the West Indian total a veneer of respectability.
Holder though then played on a Coetzee (3/37) delivery and from there, it was a matter of when, not if, the West Indies would fold like a deck of cards.
Da Silva (34) was then castled by Coetzee and from there, the tail had no chance.
Kemar Roach (2) was caught by Keegan Petersen at third man off Coetzee and when Alzarri Joseph (18) was stumped by Heinrich Klaasen off Harmer, the West Indies’ misery was confirmed.
The manner in which the game ended was a travesty for the guests, who first got rid of Bavuma six minutes into the day to ensure they won’t be chasing more than 450.
Bavuma (172) holed out to Roach at deep square-leg off Holder (3/48) six minutes into the day’s play, with Bavuma only adding one to his overnight total.
Maharaj (10) also didn’t last long, picking out Gudakesh Motie at deep square-leg off Mayers (3/48), leaving the run-making responsibility to Rabada (9) and Coetzee (16*).
Their boisterous merrymaking didn’t last for long, but so did the West Indies’ pitiful batting effort that ended just under an hour before the scheduled tea break.
Scores in brief:
South Africa: 320 and 321 (Temba Bavuma 172, Wiaan Mulder 42, Simon Harmer 19, Kyle Mayers 3/46, Alzarri Joseph 2/49, Jason Holder 3/48, Raymon Reifer 1/36)
West Indies: 251 and 106 (Joshua da Silva 34, Holder 19, Gerald Coetzee 3/37, Harmer 3/45, Keshav Maharaj 2/4, Kagiso Rabada 2/19)
South Africa won by 284 runs
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