Maharaj’s marathon spell frustrates West Indies on rain-hit day three

On the third day of the rain-affected Test between South Africa and the West Indies, Keshav Maharaj showcased his endurance by bowling 28 overs straight from the Media Centre End, despite interruptions due to the weather. His efforts, however, only resulted in four wickets as both teams struggled to gain a clear advantage in challenging conditions. With 90 minutes lost to rain and more expected, the chances of a decisive victory seem slim, but South Africa might still feel they have the upper hand.

West Indies, trailing by 212 runs on a slow and dry pitch, found scoring difficult. South Africa, who added only 13 runs to their overnight score, managed to post their highest first-innings total in nine away Tests since 2022 but needed early breakthroughs to make that count. Unfortunately for them, West Indies' batters held firm, and a few missed opportunities in the field didn’t help South Africa’s cause.

Batting throughout the day was a slow grind. Early signs suggested it would get tougher, with Jayden Seales delivering a ball that stayed low, almost taking Wiaan Mulder's off stump. Kagiso Rabada tried to inject some momentum by attacking Seales, but his aggressive intent was short-lived as he was caught behind off Jomel Warrican after a brief flurry of runs. Lungi Ngidi was the last man out, bowled by Seales, as South Africa's innings ended 20 minutes into the session.

The West Indies openers, Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis, faced a stern test from South Africa's bowlers, with Rabada and Ngidi probing their defenses. While Rabada kept it full, Ngidi opted for a back-of-a-length approach, and the West Indies could only muster 23 runs in the first 10 overs. Maharaj was introduced early, in the 13th over, and almost made an immediate impact when he drew an edge from Brathwaite, but Aiden Markram couldn’t hold on at slip.

Brathwaite and Louis continued to battle on, with Louis being the more proactive of the two. He found success through the covers, hitting four of his five boundaries in that region. The duo nearly got through the session unscathed, but Louis misjudged a Maharaj arm ball just before lunch, getting bowled.

The second session saw more rain delays, but Brathwaite's concentration remained intact. He struck a six off Maharaj, while debutant Keacy Carty impressed with his calmness, playing the shot of the day by punching Rabada behind point for four. South Africa, with limited bowling options, relied heavily on Maharaj, who kept Brathwaite quiet for long stretches.

Carty had a stroke of luck when he was nearly run out by Ryan Rickelton but survived after the throw went wide. However, his innings ended at 32 when a Maharaj delivery skidded onto his front pad, trapping him LBW. South Africa's second spinner, Aiden Markram, could have had another wicket shortly after when Kavem Hodge edged to Kyle Verreynne, but the keeper couldn’t react in time.

Maharaj struck again before the close of play, removing Alick Athanaze, who edged to Markram at slip. Despite a final burst from Rabada, the West Indies pair of Hodge and Jason Holder saw off the remaining overs, leaving the match finely poised with rain likely to play a part in the outcome.