Rain forced postponement of most of the first Test match between South Africa and the West Indies, which was played at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad, resulting in a tie.
But Keshav Maharaj stole the show in this encounter, bagging four wickets in each of the two innings.
With this, he made history as the first spinner from SA to take eight wickets in a Test match played in Wisconsin.
Surprising spells from Maharaj
Answering SA’s most memorable innings score of 357, WI were collapsed for 233 as Maharaj sent back Mikyle Louis (35), Keacy Carty (42), Alick Athanaze (3), and Joshua Da Silva (1).
Maharaj excused Kraigg Brathwaite (0) in the first over of the last innings. Carty (31) and Hodge (29) tumbled to him from that point.
The left-arm spinner likewise halted Athanaze (92) from getting a ton.
Maharaj scripts history
Maharaj, who guaranteed 4/76 (40 overs) and 4/88 (26.2 overs), got done with match figures worth 8/164 in 66.2 overs.
According to ESPNcricinfo, no other SA spinner has guaranteed as numerous or more scalps in a Test in WI.
Curiously, the past best match figures by a SA spinner in WI likewise had a place with Maharaj as he guaranteed 7/83 in the 2021 Gros Islet Test.
Third-best figures in away Tests for Maharaj
Maharaj kept his third-best figures in away Tests.
He asserted 12/283 in the 2018 match against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
In the 2017 Wellington Test against New Zealand, the veteran asserted 8/87.
Hugh Tayfield and Paul Adams are the main other SA spinners to guarantee something like eight wickets in an away Test threefold.
No different Proteas spinner has achieved this achievement more times.
Here are his Test numbers
Maharaj’s twin four-wicket pulls see him rush to 166 wickets across 51 Tests at 31.43.
According to ESPNcricinfo, he went past 300 lady overs during the game (316).
Versus WI, the left-arm spinner currently claims 20 wickets from four matches at 17.85.
17 of his wickets have come on Windies soil.
Maharaj presently claims 94 wickets in away matches (home of resistance) at 31.50.