Keshav’s dream start
SPORT
ESHAV Maharaj enjoyed a dream start to his international Test career when he helped the Proteas snatch a 1-0 series lead against Australia Down Under.
His maiden wicket scalp of Australia skipper Steve Smith will go down as a moment to cherish for the Greenwood Park débutante.
But it was not just with the ball that the left-arm orthodox spinner made his mark. In the first innings, when runs were hard to come by, Maharaj scored 16 runs (the 4th highest on the South African scorecard). He followed this with 41 n.o. in the second innings to put the Proteas firmly in the driving seat.
Another feather in his cap was having to shoulder the extra workload brought on by Dale Steyn’s injury, that ruled him out of any further action in this series. Maharaj bowled 40 overs, conceding 94 runs. And as a prize for his toils, he was rewarded with the last wicket to fall – that of Nathan Lyons.
When interviewed on the eve of his departure, the unassuming Maharaj said just being with the squad and carrying the water bottles is honour enough. But he got more than he bargained for.
Speaking to POST yesterday (Tuesday) Maharaj said that the whole experience felt surreal at first but the reality had now sunk in.
“Walking on to the Waca, I was handed my Test cap by Hashim (Amla) who offered lots of words of encouragement. It was then down to business.
“The wicket offered nothing for the spinners and I knew that I had to WITH all eyes on the controversial Decision Review System (DRS) during the upcoming Test against England, Indian vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane said the team’s primary focus is to play aggressive cricket rather than banking on technology.
“It’s a completely new concept. We have to wait and see about the DRS. We have been talking about this from vary line and length to test the Aussie batsmen,” said Maharaj.
He described the wicket of Smith as one he would always cherish.
“Our support staff indicated that Smith had a tendency to attack the bowling, and I dropped one short and the plan came together. Any Test wicket is something to cherish, but getting the Australian skipper out is something extra special.”
He said walking out to bat in his first Test innings was a bit daunting.
“I was nervous at first because I did not know what to expect. However, I settled after getting my first runs on the board.
“I was a lot more comfortable batting in the second innings, partly because we were in a commanding position and there was no pressure to make a significant impact with the bat. Vernon (Philander) helped calm me down and we decided to hang around until the lunch break, and give ourselves a few overs after lunch to change our approach and push for runs. It all went according to plan.”
Maharaj said while Smith’s wicket was something he would always cherish, the scorching six he hit off Mitchell Starc’s bowling was also a moment he would treasure.
He said the mood in the camp was one of confidence, and after a day of travelling he expected to get back into the nets for some light training today (Wednesday) in preparation for the second hurdle, which starts in Hobart on Saturday.
Maharaj’s growing fan base took to social media to offer their congratulations. Inderan Govender posted on Facebook (with a picture of Maharaj celebrating the final wicket of the Australian innings): “Congratulations… another 100 wickets to follow”. consistency and momentum.
Citing lack of accuracy and objecting to its use in the past, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finally agreed to use the DRS on a trial basis for the upcoming five-match series against England. India’s acceptance of DRS will bring uniformity among major cricket playing nations.