Indian Premier League
Kolkata Knight Riders
1
1.823
10:00
14.03.2025, 10:00
x
25
Sunrisers Hyderabad
2
2.036
Indian Premier League
14/03/2025 10:00
Kolkata Knight Riders
Sunrisers Hyderabad
W1

1.82

X

25

W2

2.04

  1. Home
  2. /
    News
  3. /
    First Test between SA and WI
First Test between SA and WI
Temba Bavuma. Source: reddit.com

First Test between SA and WI

In a rain-affected first Test between South Africa and the West Indies at Queen's Park Oval, the match ended in a draw as the Proteas fell short of bowling out the hosts. The West Indies, thanks to a resilient knock by Alick Athanaze, managed to secure a draw despite a challenging run chase.

Set a daunting target of 298 after the Proteas declared their second innings at 173/3 just before lunch, the West Indies were in a precarious position at 127 for four just after tea. Athanaze, who missed out on a maiden Test century, scored a crucial 92. His partnership of 65 runs with Jason Holder (31 not out) guided the team to a safer position of 201 for five by the end of play.

Keshav Maharaj was the standout bowler for South Africa, taking 4/88 in the second innings to finish with match figures of 8/164. Maharaj's strategy to dismiss Athanaze involved adjusting the length and exploiting the rough outside the off-stump. Despite Athanaze's impressive innings spanning over three hours and 116 balls, he was eventually dismissed when he top-edged a sweep to Ryan Rickelton at backward square-leg.

Earlier, Tristan Stubbs led the Proteas' charge with a quickfire 68 off 50 balls, including six fours and two sixes. His innings, along with contributions from openers Tony de Zorzi (45) and Aiden Markram (38), set a solid foundation for the declaration. Captain Temba Bavuma declared the innings after Stubbs was dismissed by Kemar Roach.

Bavuma reflected on the match, noting, "We expected the wicket to break up a little more than it did. In the end, we just didn't have enough time, plus the elements got in the way of what could have been a really good competitive game of cricket."

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who was dismissed in the first over of their innings, had a positive outlook despite the draw. He said, "We believed we could have gotten the runs. We knew it wasn't going to be easy, but my message to the boys was to back themselves and fully commit to their plans at the crease."

With significant rain interruptions leading to over two days of lost playing time, there are concerns that the second Test, scheduled to begin at the Guyana National Stadium on Thursday, may face similar weather issues. This raises questions about scheduling international Test matches during the rainy season in the southern Caribbean.

Get the latest news to your inbox
Subscribe to the newsletter
We value your privacy and promise not to distribute your email to third parties