Maharaj rewrites record books
FIVE-STAR MAHARAJ RULES AGAINST KIWIS
Proteas left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj wrote himself into the record books yesterday by taking 5/94 in the first Test against New Zealand. He not only became the first slow bowler since David Pithey to take a five-wicket haul for South in New Zealand in 53 years, but also the first South African leftarm tweaker to take a five-for outside South Africa in almost a decade. Robbie Peterson was the last to achieve the feat in Chittagong, Bangladesh in 2008.
Maharaj claimed his first five wicket haul to halt the New Zealand innings at 341 with a Kane Williamson ton and the heroics of an injury-hit Ross Taylor giving them a 33-run first-innings lead. At stumps on day three, the Proteas had a five-run lead after reaching 38/1 in their second innings.
With the game evenly poised after an absorbing first three days, both sides were hoping looming rain over the weekend did not dictate the outcome.
“It’s extremely tough to bowl on this pitch. There’s no pace on the ball. I have a slower trajectory through the air‚ and that makes it a bit more difficult,” said Maharaj.
The Proteas lost opener Stephen Cook for a duck caught behind off Trent Boult in the first over of their second innings and, despite a 20-minute delay when the University Oval was evacuated after a fire alarm in the main grandstand, they survived without further loss until bad light stopped play. Firemen who searched the area blamed steam for setting off the alarm.
Earlier Williamson’s 130 plus valuable half-centuries from Jeet Raval (52) and BJ Watling (50) – along with Taylor’s late return despite a calf injury – carried the Kiwis to 341.
It was the first time in seven Tests dating back to 2012 that New Zealand have led South Africa after the first innings.
Williamson brought up his 16th Test century, putting him level with Taylor and one behind the New Zealand record of 17 held by the late Martin Crowe.
After a patient 380 minutes in the middle, in which he faced 241 deliveries, the captain was eventually undone by Kagiso Rabada who used the extra bounce and movement of the new ball to get an edge. – AFP