Maharaj’s 28-over spell applies squeeze on West Indies on rain-affected day

West Indies 145 for 4 (Carty 42, Louie 35, Brathwaite 35,Maharaj 3-45) trail South Africa 357 (Bavuma 86, De Zorzi 78, Warrican 4-69, Seales 3-67) by 212 runs

Keshav Maharaj bowled 28 overs unchanged from the Media Centre End, albeit with weather-related interruptions, as South Africa frustrated West Indies on the third day of a rain-affected Test. The squeeze only brought four wickets, and with 90 minutes lost in the day and more rain on the way, the chances of victory for either side seems slim, but South Africa will consider themselves as having the upper hand.

West Indies are 212 runs behind on a slow, dry pitch, and runs continue to be hard to come by. South Africa only added 13 runs to their overnight score but managed their highest first innings total in nine away Tests since Christchurch 2022 but needed quick wickets to make it count. They were blunted by the West Indies’ line-up and committed a few lapses in the field on a surface unsuited to urgency.

Batting has been laboured so far and the early signs on the third morning were that it would become even more difficult. The second ball, from Jayden Seales, kept low and Wiaan Mulder was fortunate that it did not seam back in enough to take out off stump.

Still, South Africa seemed to have a clear directive to score quickly and Kagiso Rabada led the charge. He flicked Seales through backward square leg and then attempted a drive but edged wide of second slip in a productive over. His intent did not last long. Rabada faced five more balls before Jomel Warrican found the edge and Joshua da Silva did the rest. Seales finished off when he bowled Lungi Ngidi six balls later to end South Africa’s innings 20 minutes into the session. They added just 13 runs to their overnight score.

West Indies were in the field for 117.4 overs and would have had enough time to know that batting would be tough especially against South Africa’s best. Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi shared the new ball and had different but equally testing questions for the openers. Rabada kept it full, Ngidi was more back of a length, and West Indies managed only 23 runs in their first ten overs. Mulder, playing as the third seamer, replaced Ngidi but when Rabada’s spell ended, South Africa were forced to turn to spin early.

Maharaj was given the ball in the 13th over and came close to an early breakthrough. In his second over, Maharaj drew Kraigg Brathwaite forward and induced the edge, which lobbed low but carried to Aiden Markram at slip. However, he could not hold on. Brathwaite was on 7 off 43 balls at the time. Brathwaite went on to cut Maharaj through point for his first four but, much like South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma on day two, was content to spend time at the crease and let the runs come from the other end.

Mikyle Louis was more proactive, particularly through the covers, with four of his five boundaries coming in that region. He hit the single that took West Indies to fifty which was also the fourth half-century opening stand between him and Brathwaite in three Tests and helped West Indies nearly get through the session unscathed. But, the ball before lunch, Louis played for turn to a Maharaj arm ball and was bowled.

Play was delayed for 55 minutes after the scheduled second-session restart, but one over later, rain forced another 20-minute break. The interruptions had no effect on Brathwaite’s concentration as he hit Maharaj for six three overs into the second session, but left it to Keacy Carty to do most of the attacking. On debut, Carty impressed with his assuredness and played the shot of the day when he got up on his toes to punch Rabada behind point for four.

With their options limited to four frontline bowlers, South Africa had to keep Maharaj at one end – and he kept Brathwaite quiet for a period in which the West Indian captain scored just 6 runs off 37 balls from him – and rotate through the three seamers and matters became pedestrian. None of them looked like taking a wicket but a chance came in the field when Carty, on 28, defended a Mulder ball to point and took off a run but had Ryan Rickelton to contend with. Carty turned back and if Rickelton’s throw was accurate he would have been caught short of his ground but the ball went wide and Carty batted on. Three overs later, Carty was on 32 and hit Maharaj aerially to cover. Tristan Stubbs ran back to take the catch over his shoulder but misjudged and spilled it.

Just when South Africa may have become disheartened, a sedate Brathwaite hit Ngidi to Mulder at mid-on and ran for the single but a direct hit found him on the line and out on the stroke of tea. Brathwaite 35 runs took 131 balls, and he maintains the lowest strike rate among batters who have scored 5,000 Test runs since 2001. With the interval, came the rain and there was a further 35 minute delay before the start of the last session.

Seven balls into the evening, a Maharaj ball ended Carty’s debut innings as it skidded and struck him on the front pad. Aiden Markam, operating as South Africa’s second spinner, could have had another five overs later when Kavem Hodge, on 3, edged but Kyle Verreynne did not react quickly enough to hold on. Instead, Markram was the fielder when Maharaj struck again in the next over. Alick Athanaze edged an arm ball to Markam to slip. Markram and Maharaj bowled out most of the rest of the session, apart from a final late burst by Rabada, who could not remove either Hodge or Jason Holder.