PROVIDENCE, Guyana (CMC):
SOUTH AFRICA’S bowlers once again came to their rescue to help the visitors extend their 32-year dominance over the West Indies with a series winning 40-run victory inside three days at Providence Stadium yesterday.
In another enthralling day of cricket that saw 15 wickets fall, spinner Keshav Maharaj along with pacer Kagiso Rabada made inroads into the home team’s batting to dismiss them for 222, well short of the 262 runs needed for a first Test series win over the Proteas since 1992.
For South Africa, it was their 10th consecutive Test series win over the West Indies.
Maharaj, who was named both man-of-the-match and player-of-the-series, inflicted the fatal blow when he had Jaden Seales caught at first slip by David Bedingham for four, to spark wild celebrations among the South Africa camp.
By then, the result was never in doubt, as Rabada, Maharaj and to a lesser extent Wiaan Mulder and Dane Piedt, tore through West Indies’ middle order to set up the victory.
Given two and a half days to chase 262 for victory, West Indies found themselves in early trouble when Rabada enticed Mikyle Louis into a forward defensive prod, which ricocheted off the bat to third slip where Mulder took a good catch to leave the score at 12-1.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Keacy Carty were positive during a 42-run partnership for the second wicket, before Mulder trapped Brathwaite lbw for 25 as the West Indies fell to 54-2.
Carty was lucky not to have been dismissed when he was caught off a no-ball from Mulder on 17, but two overs later Mulder got his revenge when the batsman chopped a wide delivery onto to his stumps without adding a further run to leave them stuttering on 62-3.
Kavem Hodge looked positive, hitting four boundaries in his 29 from 38 balls, but he too played on against Rabada as West Indies sank into even more trouble at 99-4.
Alick Athanaze never looked settled, and it came as no surprise when he top edged an expansive sweep shot and was caught at second slip for 15 off the bowling of Piedt four runs later.
West Indies’ first-innings hero Jason Holder then gifted his wicket without troubling the score, chipping a delivery from Piedt straight down the throat of Mulder stationed on long-on.
A 77-run partnership between Gudakesh Motie and Joshua Da Silva briefly gave the home side hope of pulling off a dramatic victory.
But with 81 runs still required, Maharaj returned to dismiss both Motie lbw for 45 and Da Silva for 27, to effectively seal the contest as the Windies fell to 182-8.
It took a fighting unbeaten knock of 25 from Jomel Warrican to get the West Indies closer to the target, but it was never going to be enough.
Maharaj took 3-37, to take his series total to 13 wickets, Rabada had 3-50, while Mulder and Piedt grabbed two wickets apiece.
Earlier, Jayden Seales picked up six wickets to help dismiss South Africa for 246 after they resumed the day on 223-5.
The visitors lost their last five wickets for 23 runs as Seales ended with 6-61, while Gudakesh Motie and Jomel Warrican picked up two wickets apiece.