South Africa beat West Indies by 40 runs to maintain 25-year Test series grip

GUYANA: South Africa defeated the West Indies by 40 runs on an eventful third day of the second and final Test on Saturday to extend its 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.

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. Agencies

Also Read: Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith welcomes world-class talent to SA20 season 3

Also Watch: