Rabada, Maharaj seal win for South Africa against resilient West Indies

South Africa secured a 10th successive Test series win against West Indies, and earned a vital second win in the World Test Championship 2023-25, with a hard-fought 40-run victory in Guyana. In the process, Keshav Maharaj became the most successful spinner in their Test history with 171 wickets, including five in this match and 13 in the series. His success eclipsed an exceptional effort from Jayden Seales, who took 12 wickets across the two matches and a career-best 6 for 61 in South Africa's second innings in Guyana.

Seales ensured West Indies were left with a gettable, but tough, target of 263 and their chase had all the makings of a classic. They slumped to 104 for 6, before a 77-run stand between hometown hero Gudakesh Motie and Joshua Da Silva put them within sight of a historic victory. Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada, South Africa's two most reliable bowlers on the tour, denied the hosts despite a fighting effort from the tail.

In a series that was tough for batters with no centuries across the two Tests, no West Indian got a second-innings half-century and they had only one partnership above fifty in the match. In contrast, two South African batters got fifties in the second innings and had three half-century stands in the match. The 63-run tenth-wicket stand between Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger in the first innings proved decisive too.

Overall, it was a series for the bowlers, who benefitted from a surface that was tough for run-scoring in Trinidad and a venue with swing, seam movement and good bounce in Guyana. Shamar Joseph enjoyed his first home Test with 5 for 33 in the first innings but a collective effort from South Africa's attack gave them the edge where it mattered the most.

Wiaan Mulder, operating as the third seamer and sole seam-bowling allrounder, took six wickets in the Test, scored an important 34 in the second innings and shared in an 85-run sixth-wicket partnership with Kyle Verreynne to set up South Africa's win. His contributions mitigated some of the questions over South Africa's team composition. They were a bowler short in Trinidad and a batter short in Guyana but found a way to defend a total on a surface that was only three days old and improved for batting.

Set 263, West Indies lost Mikyle Louis in the fifth over when he pressed forward and edged Rabada to Mulder at third slip. Three overs later, Rabada thought he had a second when Kraig Braithwaite, on 17, was given out lbw but the West Indian captain reviewed and replays confirmed the impact was outside off. West Indies went to lunch on 43 for 1.

Braithwaite only added eight runs before Mulder beat his inside edge and hit him on the knee roll. He was given out again and reviewed again, unsuccessfully. Mulder could have had Keacy Carty, on 17, in his next over when he sliced a wide ball to point but Mulder had overstepped. Three balls later, South Africa reviewed a Burger appeal for lbw to Alick Athanaze which was also outside the line and their frustration reached boiling point. It cooled when Carty chopped Mulder on without adding to his score and South Africa were back in it.

Kavem Hodge met fire with fire and took on the short ball. He pulled Mulder through mid-wicket and square leg and then scored two boundaries off three Rabada deliveries but played one shot too many when he inside-edged Rabada onto the stumps. By that stage, offspinner Piedt had been introduced into the attack for the first time in the match and tempted Athanaze with full, flighted deliveries. Athanaze struggled to turn the strike over, eventually went for a rash sweep and top-edged behind the keeper. Aiden Markram ran back from slip to take a good, high catch.

Athanaze's mistake could be blamed on inexperience but when Jason Holder, the best batter from West Indies' first innings, holed out to long-on in Piedt's next over, it was a sign South Africa's strangle was working.

Enter Motie, who had a disappointing series with the ball, but did his bit with the bat. Motie and Da Silva took the target to below 100. Motie was particularly severe on Piedt and took 18 runs off the 14 balls he faced from him but his attempts to take on Maharaj were not as successful. Motie was hit on the front pad as he moved back to hit the left-arm spinner away and was given out lbw. He reviewed but ball-tracking showed it was clipping leg stump. Da Silva went similarly in Maharaj's next over, and also asked the third umpire to have a look, but the technology was in South Africa's favour and Maharaj equalled Hugh Tayfield as South Africa's leading spinner.

With only two wickets left to get, and Rabada two away from 300, he was brought back on and threatened to produce the goods soon after. Jomel Warrican edged him wide of second slip and then Joseph offered a chance that went between second and third slip as both Markram and Mulder left the ball for each other. Rabada was livid but the annoyance did not last long. Four balls later, Joseph pulled him to mid-on where Temba Bavuma got hang-time with both feet off the floor and plucked the ball in his outstretched right hand to complete the catch of the series.

Rabada was one wicket away from 300 but was unable to complete the feat in the match. Maharaj overtook Tayfield when Seales clipped him to David Bedingham at short leg and South Africa celebrated. Seales had been vocal with them throughout the match, so dismissing him to secure victory was even sweeter for South Africa. It would have stung Seales, who was instrumental in South Africa's collapse. They lost their last five wickets for 22 runs in 65 balls, including the first three wickets for 8 runs in 15 balls.

Warrican struck in the first over when Mulder chose to stay back in his crease and attempt a flick but missed an arm ball and was hit on the back pad. That early breakthrough prompted Kraig Braithwaite to call on Seales earlier than he may have planned, with the second new ball nine overs away. An under-pressure Maharaj chipped the second ball he faced to Motie at mid-wicket and registered a third successive duck on the tour.

Seales' next one was all skill as he beat Kyle Verreynne's inside edge with a delivery that angled into him from wide of the crease. It also confirmed Seales' second Test five-for. Piedt and Rabada took the lead over 250 but one over and one delivery before the second new ball was due, Rabada went forward to block Warrican and edged to Hodge at slip.

West Indies took the second new ball as soon as it was available and Seales succeeded. Burger drove the fourth ball back to him and Seales reacted quickly to take the catch with both hands to his right to end South Africa's innings 50 minutes into the third day. Burger's duck was the third of the innings and seventh of the match for South Africa, their most since 1932.

South Africa are now up to fifth on the WTC points table, with six matches left to play. West Indies remain ninth, with only one win.