Keshav Maharaj’s discipline and perseverance earned him three crucial wickets as West Indies were restricted to 145-4 after South Africa were bowled out for 357 in the first innings at the end of the third day of the rain-affected first Test match at the Queen’s Park Oval on Friday.

On a hard pitch that tested the patience of both batsmen and bowlers, Maharaj’s figures of 3-45 in 28 tough overs highlighted his growing value to a Proteas team that has traditionally relied heavily on fast and seam bowlers for their success in Test cricket.

After seeing left-arm bowler Jomel Warrican (4-69) lead the home side’s fightback on the third morning, Maharaj knew he had a chance to continue the fight against the West Indies top order.

Their variety in flight and pace saw them pick up wickets for Mikyle Louis, newcomer Keacy Carty and left-hander Alick Athanaze amid three rain interruptions.

“In these circumstances it’s really important to keep it simple, to be consistent and repetitive… and I love repetition,” Maharaj said at the end of the game.

“There’s not much to get from the wicket, so I try to use different variations, different speeds and trajectories to make it harder to score. Sometimes in Test cricket it’s just about bowling in a certain groove and reaping the dividends.”

– Brathwaite went cheap –

The only wicket that escaped him was that of West Indies captain and opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite, who got himself out for 35.

After his opening partner Louis also scored a 35-point basket towards goal at the lunch break, Brathwaite quickly returned to the stands with a non-existent single after the speedy player Lungi Ngidi sent the ball out to the midfield.

Wiaan Mulder’s direct shot across the non-kickers’ goal sent Brathwaite a few millimetres off the ground to end a half in which 131 points had been scored.

The West Indies captain managed to hide the pain he felt as he came off the field, realising he had been dismissed for a no-ball and also losing the wicket just before rain stopped play once more.

Carty showed promise in his first Test innings, hitting 42 off 81 deliveries but was caught lbw by another arm ball from Maharaj, while Athanaze was drawn into a tentative forward nudge and only managed to take a simple catch off Aiden Markram at slip.

With West Indies in precarious shape at 124-4, South Africa pressed for more before the end of the match but were thwarted by the fifth-wicket duo of Kavem Hodge and former captain Jason Holder as the hosts took the fight to the fourth day.

There were no problems with the weather at the start of the day but the Caribbean team took South Africa’s last two first-innings wickets, taking just 13 more runs.

Warrican had Kagiso Rabada caught for 21 and in the very next over, fast bowler Jayden Seales took the third wicket by uprooting last man Ngidi’s goalpost, leaving Mulder unbeaten on 41.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is reproduced from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)