An entertaining Test match at Providence has come to an end, with the Proteas bowlers sealing the series win.
It was a game that ebbed and flowed, but more importantly, this victory has kept South Africa in the hunt for the WTC final.
The start was far from ideal. Jomel Warrican struck in the very first over to remove Wiaan Mulder. Keshav Maharaj would spoon a catch to midwicket, and Kyle Verreynne was bowled, giving Jayden Seales his 5th wicket. The young quick from Trinidad would add another to his tally when he took a fantastic reflex catch to dismiss Nandre Burger.
With a slightly daunting target of 263 at hand, the Windies started cautiously. Kagiso Rabada was asking questions early, even though Burger was struggling with his lines and lengths. Rabada would draw first blood when Mikyle Louis edged to Wiaan Mulder at third slip. But that would be the only wicket for the Proteas before lunch, as Kraigg Brathwaite and Keacy Carty safely made it through the rest of the overs.
However, the security was short-lived, as Mulder returned to trap the skipper LBW. Carty had a reprieve when he was caught at gully off a no-ball, but he’d become Mulder’s next victim a couple of overs later, when he played one onto his stumps.
Kavem Hodge was severe on anything short from the pacers, but his counterattack also came to a premature end. Rabada came back and had Hodge inside-edging onto his stumps. The hosts didn’t have 100 on the board, but were already 4 wickets down.
The situation went from bad to worse for WI, as a couple of poor attempted hoicks from Alick Athanaze and Jason Holder provided easy catches. But they were never going to back out without a fight.
It took a 74-run stand from Joshua da Silva and Gudakesh Motie to reinvigorate the chase. Motie was the enforcer in the partnership, regularly accessing the boundary off the spinners. What looked to be a comfortable position for SA soon became a little nervous.
But staying true to the roller coaster nature of the format, this game had its share of twists and turns. A patient spell from Keshav Maharaj finally paid dividends, as he snagged consecutive LBWs to remove both set batters.
Jomel Warrican and Shamar Joseph tried to cobble together a potentially frustrating lower-order stand, but an electric catch from Temba Bavuma brought it to an abrupt end. That would give Rabada his 299th Test wicket, but he’ll have to wait until the next series to reach the next milestone.
Warrican scored a couple more boundaries, but Jayden Seales popped a catch to David Bedingham at short leg to close the proceedings. As a result, Keshav Maharaj became the all-time most successful South African spinner.
It’s been a seesawing three days of Test cricket, and the South Africans will be relieved to walk away with a series win. In addition, it was a proper team effort with the ball, with 4 bowlers sharing the 10 wickets that fell today. The Bangladesh tour will present a different challenge, and it’ll be key to dot the I’s and cross the T’s.
SA 160 + 246 (Verreynne 59, Seales 18.4-4-61-6)
WI 144 + 222 (Motie 45, Maharaj 11.2-2-37-3, Rabada 16-5-50-3)
