Milestones for Maharaj and Rabada make clear their increasing value to Proteas

If the Proteas are to achieve the unlikely, and win the remaining seven Tests they have to play in the current World Test Championship cycle, then Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada must continue to churn out match-winning performances. 

It’s still no guarantee that Temba Bavuma’s men will qualify for the World Test Championship final next June but, even so, Maharaj and Rabada would have achieved notable individual landmarks well before then. 

They will hope those come as soon as the second innings of the current Test with the West Indies, which went into the third day at the National Stadium in Georgetown, Guyana, yesterday. 

Rabada, who took one wicket in the West Indies’ first innings, added another with the dismissal of opener Mikyle Louis before lunch yesterday and needed three more to become only the sixth South African to claim 300 Test wickets, historically regarded as the marker for greatness as a bowler. 

Maharaj, meanwhile, was eyeing a nearly 65-year old record that would take him past Hugh Tayfield, who claimed 170 wickets and is the most successful South African Test spinner. 

Maharaj, who made his Test debut in Australia in 2016, may have played more Tests than Tayfield's 37, but he has bowled 3,500 fewer deliveries for the 168 wickets he took before yesterday’s proceedings started, owing to the latter playing in the era when overs consisted of eight deliveries. 

Despite his struggles with the bat in the current series — he registered a third duck yesterday — there is no denying Maharaj’s status as one of the Proteas’ most valuable performers, not just in Tests but the limited overs formats too. 

He has made himself an indispensable part of the brains trust, and allied to his skill, his remarkable work ethic sets an example for an inexperienced Proteas group. 

Rabada’s position as one of the great SA bowlers was secured long ago, but having 300 next to his name provides statistical confirmation of his standing.

Only Dale Steyn (439), Shaun Pollock (421), Makhaya Ntini (390), Allan Donald (330) and Morne Morkel (309) have surpassed that figure in SA colours. 

But what sets Rabada apart is his strike rate (balls bowled per wicket taken), which sits at a remarkable 39.50, which is comfortably better than anyone in the sport’s history who has taken more than 200 wickets.   

Having resumed at 223/5 yesterday, the Proteas suffered another implosion, losing their last five wickets for the addition of just 23 runs. They were bowled out for 246, 50 minutes after a delayed start to the day’s proceedings, which left the West Indies needing 263 runs to win.

Saturday’s calamitous showing followed a poor effort in the first innings when they found themselves 97/9, and needed a 63-run 10th wicket partnership between Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger to help them to a reasonable first innings total.