South Africa defeat West Indies to maintain 25-year Test series grip

South Africa defeated the West Indies by 40 runs on an eventful third day of the second and final Test on Saturday to extend their dominance over the Caribbean side.

Set a challenging target of 263 after fast bowler Jayden Seales’ Test-best figures of six for 61 dismissed the Proteas for 246 in their second innings in the morning session, the home team lost wickets at regular intervals to be dismissed for 222.

In a cruel twist of fate, Seales was the last wicket to fall just minutes before the scheduled close of play. He fell to man of the series Keshav Maharaj who claimed his 13th wicket of the two-match duel via a short-leg catch by David Bedingham, reports AFP.

The win extended South Africa’s unbeaten Test series run against the West Indies from the first-ever series meeting between the two teams in 1998/99 when Shaun Pollock’s men demolished the visitors led by Brian Lara 5-0.

West Indies had defeated South Africa in a one-off encounter in Barbados in 1992, their first-ever official Test encounter which marked the Africans’ return to the Test fold after 22 years in isolation because of the country’s apartheid policy.

Maharaj’s left-arm orthodox spin earned him figures of three for 37.

Kagiso Rabada shared bowling hours in the innings with three for 50, leaving the 29-year-old fast bowler one wicket away from claiming 300 victims in Tests.

“For a team that is in a transition phase we really did well to come away with this success,” said a delighted Maharaj, whose three wickets lifted him one above Hugh Tayfield’s 170 as the most successful spinner in South Africa’s Test history.

“Getting ready for Test cricket is always part of my plan, no matter what other formats I play. I always have a red ball in my bag.”

Maharaj was full of praise for his captain, Temba Bavuma, and his refreshing confidence in slow bowlers.

– ‘Trusts spin’ –

“He trusts spin and backs spin,” he explained.

“He allows me to read the game and brings his input as well. It’s a privilege to be in a side led by him.”

South Africa’s only period of anxiety came during a 77-run seventh-wicket partnership between Gudakesh Motie, who top-scored with a Test-best effort of 45 and wicketkeeper-batsman Joshua da Silva (27).

They lifted their team from the depths of 104 for six in mid-afternoon but the reintroduction of Maharaj brought the vital breakthroughs when he trapped Motie and da Silva lbw in successive overs.

Bavuma then held a stunning leaping catch at mid-on off Shamar Joseph to give Rabada his 299th Test wicket before Maharaj completed the job despite a few lusty blows at the other end by Jomel Warrican (25 not out).

Wiaan Mulder took the man of the match award, the seam bowling all-rounder making the most of a rare opportunity to play Test cricket by claiming six wickets in the match and also contributing an important 34 runs in the second innings.

“I just wanted the chance to play because I haven’t played much Test cricket of late,” he said.

“I just tried to bowl as many wobble seam balls as I could because I felt there was enough in the conditions for the ball to swing naturally as well.”

Mulder’s was the first wicket to fall at the start of the day when Warrican had him leg-before.

After that it was the Seales show as he ripped through the lower-order to claim the second five-wicket innings haul of his fledgling Test career.

For West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, one of Mulder’s two wickets in the innings, the fate of the match hinged on the failure of the batting line-up in the first innings.

“We did well to dismiss them for 160 but then didn’t put up enough runs in reply. That was crucial,” he emphasised.

“Our mindset today was to have intent at the crease and even though myself and the other top-order batters didn’t deliver, it was good to see the fight from Motie and others lower down the order.”

The first Test in Trinidad last week ended in a rain-affected draw.