With his disciplined spin bowling, Keshav Maharaj enabled the South Africans to tighten their control on the first Test against West Indies at Queen’s Park Oval. Maharaj’s sustained line and length helped him take three important wickets as the hosts ended Day 3 due to rain with a score of 145/4 in response to South Africa’s first innings total of 357.
Maharaj’s impressive figures of 3-45 from 28 probing overs underscored his growing significance to a South African team historically known for its fast bowlers.
On a surface that tested the technique and patience of both batsmen and bowlers, the left-arm spinner skillfully exploited this by taking key wickets for Mikyle Louis, debutant Keacy Carty, and Alick Athanaze. Particularly remarkable was Maharaj’s display which he made through three rain interruptions that disrupted play rhythm.
“It really is about keeping it simple and maintaining consistency, repetition under conditions like this… I love repetitions,” Parami News reported him as saying. “There isn’t much to get out of there so I’m trying different variations having different paces and trajectories where it makes it uneasy to score. Sometimes in Test cricket it is only about holding one channel throughout an over and getting some rewards.”
Only once did Maharaj fail to dislodge a batsman: West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite, who was run out for 35 after hesitating during a quick single. Delivery from Lungi Ngidi resulted into Brathwaite’s dismissal while Wiaan Mulder’s direct hit at non-striker end caught him millimeters short of his ground. The run-out happened shortly before another rain break, which added insult to injury for Braithwaite after being dismissed off a no-ball earlier.
Making his debut in test matches Keacy Carty showed promise with an unbeaten knock of 42 from 81 balls until he fell lbw to Maharaj’s arm ball. Alick Athanaze was also undone by Maharaj, offering a simple catch to Aiden Markram at slip after a tentative forward prod.
The Proteas looked for more breakthroughs towards the end of the day as West Indies tottered at 124-4. However, Kavem Hodge and former captain Jason Holder put up some resistance ensuring no damage was done till stumps. They will continue their fight on day four with West Indies still 212 runs adrift.
During the morning session, there were no weather interruptions as the Windies finished off South Africa’s first innings taking the last two wickets through an extra 13 run-out. While Jomel Warrican improved on his figures with 4-69 by taking Kagiso Rabada’s wicket, Jayden Seales removed off-stump of Ngidi as last man out leaving Wiaan Mulder unbeaten at 41.
