1st Test: SA's Keshav Maharaj claims four-fer versus West Indies
South African spinner Keshav Maharaj claimed a four-fer versus West Indies in the ongoing rain-hit first Test at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad. West Indies were 145/4 at stumps on Day 3 with Maharaj bowling 28 overs and picking three wickets. A delayed start on Day 4 saw the hosts fold for 233. Maharaj finished with 4/76. Here are the details.
Maharaj applied pressure on Windies batters on Day 3
Maharaj bowled 28 overs unchanged from the Media Centre End on Day 3. He was introduced in the 13th over and almost instantly got Kraigg Brathwaite when he was on 7. In the 27th over, Maharaj dismissed opener Mikyle Louis with an arm-ball. Keacy Carty (42) was his next scalp, being trapped LBW. Alick Athanaze (3) derived an edge thereafter. Maharaj managed 3/45.
Maharaj claims his 4th wicket on Day 4
West Indies batted for just 24.5 overs on Day 4, losing six wickets. Maharaj bowled 12 overs and picked a wicket in the form of Joshua Da Silva. Overall, he bowled 40 overs and conceded at just 1.90. He bowled 15 maiden overs.
Maharaj surpasses 300 maiden overs; races to 162 wickets
Maharaj's brilliant four-wicket haul on a slow surface sees him race to 162 wickets at 31.67. As per ESPNcricinfo, he completed 300 maidens in Tests (314). Versus WI, the left-arm spinner now owns 16 wickets from four matches at 16.81. 13 of his wickets have come on Windies soil. Maharaj now owns 90 wickets in away matches (home of opposition) at 31.92.
Story of the first match
SA managed 357 in their first innings before bowling the Windies out for 233 and taking a 124-run lead. In additon to Maharaj's four-fer, pacer Kagiso Rabada claimed a three-fer. SA are 30/0 after 5 overs at end of Day 4.
