Keshav Maharaj creates history, becomes first South African spinner to...
Keshav Maharaj. (PIC - X)
New Delhi: South Africa's star player Keshav Maharaj achieved a big feat on Sunday on the second day of the first match of the ongoing two-match Test series against Zimbabwe. He became the first South African spinner to take 200 Test wickets. What did Keshav Maharaj do?
35-year-old Maharaj has been playing Test cricket for the last nine years and has gradually become the team's leading spinner in the Test format. Maharaj achieved this feat by dismissing Zimbabwe's Craig Ervine in the 34th over who was stumped by Kyle Verreyne. Which star player Keshav Maharaj surpass?
Maharaj is South Africa's leading wicket-taker after surpassing former off-spinner Hugh Tayfield's record of 170 wickets. Left-arm spinner Maharaj now has 202 wickets in 59 Test matches, which includes 11 five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul. Maharaj has taken 631 wickets in 166 matches in first-class cricket. Wiaan Mulder took four wickets
In reply to South Africa's first innings score of 418 for nine declared, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 251 in which Maharaj took three wickets for 70 runs in 16.4 overs. Wiaan Mulder took four wickets for 50 runs in 16 overs.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Indian Express
World Test champs South Africa unleash next generation tempests, Kwena Maphaka and Cody Yusuf on Zimbabwe
Far from the more glamour Tests underway in England, South African express pacer Kwena Maphaka is ushering in the new batch of Proteas quicks, and at the receiving end are Zimbabwe. On the second day of the first Test in Bulwayo, with most of the WTC winning Proteas fighters still resting up, and a brand new squad under Keshav Maharaj taking the field, two quick bowlers have left Zimbabwe dizzy. Zimbabwe opener Brian Bennett was struck on his helmet first, and ended up returning to a concussion, and later 38-year-old Sean Williams, batting calmly was jolted with another struke onbhis helmet crest. Both times it was the new Proteas pace sensation – Kwena Maphaka, who though still wicketless is raising speed temperatures. It was the finest way to ring in Dale Steyn's birthday. But the searing pacer is tipped by coach Shukri Conrad to realise his full potential only in 'three to four years time.' Wiaan Mulder (4/50), a WTC winner, told Cape Argus that the 19-year-old carried an X factor that was hard to overlook. 'I think Kwena is learning quite quickly as he's going,' Mulder was quoted as sayinv by Cape Argus. 'I think international cricket is super difficult, so if you're not going to be able to land it in an area that hits the top of the stumps more often than not, no matter how much the ball is moving, guys are going to score, especially good players like Sean Williams. 'They're going to keep scoring all the time, and I think that's the only challenge for Kwena is how can he take that X factor and the balls in between, keep going at maybe one run or a couple of dots in between. 'We all know he's going to be a superstar, to be honest with you, and I saw a stat yesterday that he's 19 years and 81 days or something. He's honestly still way behind the years in many ways. I'm 27 now, so I can say that, but I think he's going to be an exceptional bowler. There's just something special about him. When you face him in the nets, there's just something. The ball's always moving, it's super fast.' Maphaka debuted in December 2024 and his first Test wicket in a 4-fer against Pakistan was Babar Azam. While Zimbabwe aren't the toughest of opponents in Tests, there's always curiosity over the Proteas pace pack, and also coming through in the first Test is Lions' Cody Yusuf, reminiscent of Morne Morkel and his accuracy. 'I've played with Cody at my domestic team at home, and, I mean, he's been an inspiration for us. He literally bowls like that every single week,' Mulder was quoted. 'He's exceptional. He's got the biggest heart. He doesn't ever give up. And I think what you saw of him is just a glimpse of what we've seen at the Lions at home. 'I think he's going to be an exceptional bowler going forward, and I'm super happy for him because he's one of those guys that the way he approaches the game is not with all shouting and abusing people and, you know, ultimate aggression and, you know, all the fluff, I'd say. 'He does it week in, week out, just with his heart, and he just bowls with everything he has.' Yusuf, 27, is an old-school cricketer described by as, 'Yusuf is no express tearaway but he hits that awkward length with consistency and offers just enough movement to keep batters second-guessing. He is especially dangerous with the older ball, using subtle variations and bounce off the deck.' Zimbabwe are chasing 505 to win after SA scored 418 and 359, and the hosts got 251 and 32/1 heading into Day 4.
India Today
8 hours ago
- India Today
1st Test: South Africa set Zimbabwe 537 to win after Wian Mulder's career-best 100
South Africa took firm control of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, setting the hosts a towering target of 537 runs after Wiaan Mulder's career-best 147 on day three at Queens Sports Club. By stumps on Monday, Zimbabwe were 32 for 1 in 18.2 overs, still 505 runs adrift and without concussed opener Brian Bennett for the remainder of the final blow of the day came off the last ball, when Corbin Bosch found the outside edge of Takudzwanashe Kaitano's defensive push. Lhuan-dre Pretorius made no mistake with a sharp low catch at third slip, breaking a dogged opening stand and handing South Africa a crucial Masvaure, Bennett's concussion substitute, was unbeaten on 5 at the close. He had a nervy moment six overs before stumps, when a tough chance off Keshav Maharaj's bowling went down at short leg. Maharaj, who extracted turn and bounce in his brief spell, looms as a major threat heading into the fourth day on a surface beginning to dry and deteriorate. Earlier, South Africa resumed on 49 for 1 with a lead of 216 and quickly found themselves under pressure at 155 for 5. But Mulder, unbeaten on 25 overnight, stood tall. The 26-year-old all-rounder weathered the storm and gradually turned the tide with a composed, fluent brought up his second Test century - and his first outside South Africa - in the final over before lunch, reaching three figures off 149 balls. It was a knock marked by patience, authority, and shot selection. Mulder's 147, which included 17 boundaries and two sixes, anchored South Africa's innings and drained Zimbabwe's energy.A 104-run partnership with Kyle Verreynne through the afternoon consolidated South Africa's dominance. Mulder eventually fell attempting to clear the rope, caught on the boundary by Kaitano off Wessly captain Keshav Maharaj then played a useful hand down the order, scoring a brisk 51 from 70 balls to push the total to 369 before being bowled by Wellington Masakadza. Masakadza finished with figures of 4 for 98, while Tanaka Chivanga and Vincent Masekesa picked up two wickets total left Zimbabwe needing a world-record fourth-innings chase of 537 for victory. Their highest-ever successful fourth-innings score remains 331, set against New Zealand in Bulawayo back in 2001. Given they managed just 251 in their first innings - with Mulder taking four wickets - their task borders on the Kaitano and Masvaure showed grit during a tense final session, holding off the South African seamers and spinners for nearly 18 overs. But just as Zimbabwe looked set to close the day unscathed, Bosch two days left and the pitch beginning to offer more to the bowlers, South Africa's attack will fancy wrapping up the win well before the fifth morning. But regardless of what lies ahead, Monday belonged to Wiaan Mulder - with the ball and, emphatically, with the bat.- Ends
New Indian Express
14 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Steve Smith trained in a baseball cage in New York to be fit for Australia's Caribbean test
ST GEORGES: Charismatic Australian batter Steve Smith's quick recovery from a "compound dislocation" in the little finger of his right hand, and his sooner-than-expected return to the squad for the second Test against West Indies has a baseball twist to it. Smith has suffered an injury to his right little finger while trying to take a difficult catch off South African captain Temba Bavuma at first slip during the World Test Championship final at Lord's earlier this month. The 36-year-old former Australian skipper immediately left London after his wound was cleaned, stitched and his finger placed in a splint. Instead of waiting for the injury to heal by itself, he decided to hit the "baseball cage" in New York, where he owns an apartment. The injury forced him to miss the opening game of the three-Test series against the Caribbean in Barbados from June 25 to 27, which Australia won by 159 runs. In New York, he began by facing tennis balls and other soft balls in the nets before facing the hard cricket ball. "My mate actually told me about it, which was ideal because it was pretty warm there (in New York)," Smith was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo. "Underneath this bridge there was a batting cage, and he was able to throw me a few balls there, so it was good to be in the shade, it was pretty hot there," he said.
