Alick Athanaze has been named Cricket World's Player of the Week for his crucial role in securing a draw for the West Indies in the rain-affected first Test against South Africa at Queen's Park Oval. Despite narrowly missing out on his maiden Test century, Athanaze's performance was instrumental in ensuring that the match ended in a stalemate.
With the West Indies set a challenging target of 298 after the Proteas declared their second innings at 173 for three just before lunch, Athanaze's resolute 92, along with a key fifth-wicket partnership of 65 with Jason Holder (31 not out), propelled the team from a precarious position of 127 for four just after tea to a safer 201 for five at the close of play.
Athanaze came to the crease with the West Indies in trouble at 18 for two due to early breakthroughs by Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada. The 25-year-old left-hander from Dominica exhibited remarkable composure throughout his innings, facing 116 balls and hitting nine boundaries. His discipline, however, was tested as the end of play approached. In his quest for a maiden century, Athanaze top-edged a sweep off Maharaj, leading to a comfortable catch for Ryan Rickelton at backward square-leg.
Keshav Maharaj, who was named Player of the Match, described his strategy to dismiss Athanaze: "It was just about dragging the length back and trying to exploit the rough outside his off-stump. Full credit must go to him for the way he played. I just tried to stick to my plans and utilise different angles from the crease."
Athanaze's gritty innings was a standout performance in a match significantly impacted by rain, helping the West Indies avoid defeat and setting the stage for an exciting finish to the series.