It was an all bowlers show at Guyana in the Second match of South Africa vs West Indies Test Series 2024. South Africa claimed their 10th consecutive Test series win against the West Indies with a tough 40-run victory in Guyana. This win also marked their second victory in the World Test Championship 2023-25. Keshav Maharaj made history as South Africa’s most successful spinner, taking 171 wickets, including five in this match and 13 in the series. Maharaj’s achievements outshined an impressive performance by Jayden Seales, who took 12 wickets across the two matches, including a career-best 6 for 61 in South Africa’s second innings in Guyana.
Seales set up a challenging target of 263 for the West Indies, and their chase was shaping up to be a classic. After a shaky start, falling to 104 for 6, a 77-run partnership between hometown hero Gudakesh Motie and Joshua Da Silva brought them close to a historic win. However, Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s most dependable bowlers on this tour, stopped the hosts despite a strong fight from the lower order.
This series was tough on the batters, with no centuries scored in the two Tests. In the second innings, no West Indian batter managed a half-century, and they had only one partnership above fifty. On the other hand, two South African batters reached fifties in the second innings, and they had three half-century stands in the match. The 63-run partnership for the tenth wicket between Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger in the first innings was also crucial.
The series was dominated by the bowlers, who thrived on a pitch that made scoring runs difficult in Trinidad and another venue with swing, seam movement, and good bounce in Guyana. Shamar Joseph made the most of his first home Test with figures of 5 for 33 in the first innings, but it was the combined effort of South Africa’s attack that gave them the edge when it counted.
Wiaan Mulder, who was the third seamer and only seam-bowling allrounder, took six wickets in the Test, scored an important 34 in the second innings, and was part of an 85-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Kyle Verreynne that helped set up South Africa’s win. His contributions helped ease some concerns about South Africa’s team setup. They were one bowler short in Trinidad and one batter short in Guyana but still managed to defend a total on a three-day-old pitch that had improved for batting.
West Indies were set 263 to win but lost Mikyle Louis in the fifth over when he edged Rabada to Mulder at third slip. Three overs later, Rabada thought he had a second wicket when Kraig Braithwaite was given out lbw on 17, but the West Indies captain reviewed and the replay showed the impact was outside off. West Indies went to lunch on 43 for 1.
Braithwaite only added eight more runs before Mulder bowled him, hitting him on the knee roll. Braithwaite reviewed the decision again but was unsuccessful this time. Mulder nearly got Keacy Carty, on 17, in his next over, but Carty survived because Mulder had overstepped. Three balls later, South Africa reviewed a Burger appeal for lbw against Alick Athanaze, but the impact was outside the line, adding to their frustration. However, their fortunes turned when Carty chopped Mulder onto his stumps without adding to his score.
Kavem Hodge fought back and took on the short ball, scoring boundaries off Rabada, but inside-edged Rabada onto his stumps. Piedt, introduced into the attack for the first time in the match, tempted Athanaze with full, flighted deliveries. Athanaze struggled to rotate the strike, eventually playing a rash sweep and top-edging behind the keeper. Aiden Markram took a good catch, running back from slip.
Athanaze’s dismissal could be chalked up to inexperience, but when Jason Holder, West Indies’ best batter in the first innings, holed out to long-on in Piedt’s next over, it was clear South Africa’s grip on the game was tightening.
Motie, who hadn’t done much with the ball in this series, contributed with the bat. He and Da Silva brought the target down to under 100. Motie was particularly aggressive against Piedt, taking 18 runs off the 14 balls he faced from him. But his attempts to attack Maharaj didn’t work out. Motie was hit on the front pad and given out lbw. He reviewed the decision, but ball-tracking showed it was clipping leg stump. Da Silva fell similarly in Maharaj’s next over, and even though he also asked for a review, the technology backed South Africa, and Maharaj equaled Hugh Tayfield as South Africa’s leading spinner.
With only two wickets left to get, and Rabada one away from 300, he was brought back into the attack. Jomel Warrican edged Rabada wide of second slip, and Joseph offered a chance that went between second and third slip as both Markram and Mulder left the ball for each other. Rabada was frustrated but didn’t have to wait long for a breakthrough. Four balls later, Joseph pulled Rabada to mid-on, where Temba Bavuma took an incredible catch, leaping into the air to grab the ball with his outstretched right hand, making it the catch of the series.
Rabada was still one wicket short of 300, but Maharaj surpassed Tayfield when Seales clipped him to David Bedingham at short leg, and South Africa celebrated. Seales had been vocal throughout the match, so getting him out to win the game was particularly satisfying for South Africa. It was a tough blow for Seales, who had been crucial in South Africa’s collapse. They lost their last five wickets for 22 runs in 65 balls, including the first three for just 8 runs in 15 balls.
Warrican struck in the first over when Mulder stayed back and tried to flick an arm ball but missed, getting hit on the back pad. This early wicket prompted Braithwaite to call on Seales earlier than expected, with the second new ball still nine overs away. Maharaj, under pressure, chipped the second ball he faced to Motie at mid-wicket, getting out for a third consecutive duck on the tour.
Seales’ next delivery was a beauty, beating Kyle Verreynne’s inside edge with a ball that angled into him from wide of the crease, earning Seales his second Test five-for. Piedt and Rabada pushed the lead past 250, but just one over and one ball before the second new ball was due, Rabada edged Warrican to Hodge at slip.
West Indies took the second new ball as soon as it was available, and Seales struck. Burger drove the fourth ball back to him, and Seales reacted quickly, taking the catch with both hands to his right to end South Africa’s innings 50 minutes into the third day. Burger’s duck was the third of the innings and the seventh of the match for South Africa, their most since 1932.
South Africa has now moved up to fifth on the World Test Championship points table, with six matches left to play. The West Indies remain ninth, with only one win.
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