The first Test match between West Indies and South Africa at the Queen’s Park Oval continued to favor the visitors on Day 3, despite rain interruptions. South Africa, who had resumed their first innings at 344-8, were quickly bowled out for 357, with Jomel Warrican and Jayden Seales taking crucial wickets. Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi were the top scorers for South Africa, with 86 and 78 runs respectively.
Despite the early dismissal of South Africa, the West Indies faced a tough task in their chase. Rain halted play for about 90 minutes on Friday, further adding to the challenges for the hosts. When play resumed, West Indies struggled to compile runs, reaching only 145-4 by the end of the day.
Keshav Maharaj, who bowled a marathon spell of 28 overs unchanged, was instrumental in frustrating the West Indies batsmen. He claimed the wickets of Keacy Carty and Alick Athanaze in quick succession, leaving the hosts reeling at 124-4. Although Carty topped the scoring chart for West Indies with 42 runs, the team’s overall performance was far from satisfactory.
With a 212-run deficit going into Day 4, West Indies have a steep uphill task to avoid an innings defeat. The two-test series will be followed by three T20 games, making it a crucial period for both teams to showcase their strengths and ambitions.
