By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Fast bowler Kwena Maphaka, who was the Player of the Tournament at this year’s Under-19 World Cup, is in line for a senior international debut after being included in South Africa’s squad to play West Indies in three T20Is later this month.
The call-up tops a stellar year for Maphaka, who helped South Africa U-19 to the semi-final of the World Cup, where he took 21 wickets at an average of 9.71.
“Kwena has been identified as a player with significant potential, and this tour presents a great opportunity to include him in the Proteas environment, and gain valuable international experience,” South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter said.”
Jason Smith a middle-order batter who was Dolphins’ top-scorer in the CSA T20 challenge in 2023-24, is the other new name in South Africa’s playing group.
“This tour allows us to continue developing our player pool whilst maintaining the core of experienced players,” Walter said. “It will also expose our emerging talent to quality international opposition, similar to the last time we played against West Indies in May.”
The three matches will all be played at the Brian Lara Stadium from August 23-27. South Africa had also toured the West Indies for three T20Is in May, just before the T20 World Cup, but lost that series 0-3.
Meanwhile Guyanese fast bowler Shamar Joseph claimed an emotional five-wicket haul on home soil to help dismiss South Africa for just 160 before Wiaan Mulder’s 4-18 from six overs saw the home side collapse to 97-7 on the first day of the second test match against the West Indies at the Providence Stadium in Georgetown, Guyana, on Thursday.
Seventeen wickets fell on the first day at a venue accustomed to producing turgid, attritional batting displays and the home side, still trailing by 63 runs, have much catching up to do.
A remarkable 10th-wicket partnership of 63 between Dane Piedt (38*) and Nandre Burger (23) saw South Africa’s first-innings total recover from an embarrassing 97-9 to a semi-respectable score on a slow but surprisingly seamer friendly pitch on which Temba Bavuma chose to bat first.
The local man from Guyana, Joseph, claimed 5-33 from just 14 overs which began by bowling Aidan Markram (14) with a perfect ‘nip-backer’ with the opener playing no shot before trapping Bavuma for a duck two balls later.
Tony de Zorzi (1) was the first to depart when the excellent fast bowler Jayden Seales (14-3-45-3) bowled the left hander with an in-swinger and Tristan Stubbs became the fourth wicket of the first session when he perished for 26 from 65 deliveries.
Stubbs made an understandably cautious start with just three runs coming from his first 29 balls but finally allowed himself to hit the ball with purpose and collected three boundaries before a full, deliberately wide delivery from Jason Holder tempted him into a drive with the edge flying to a diving Kavem Hodge in the gully.
Lunch was taken on 64-4 but South Africa’s hopes of a meaningful recovery quickly ended when David Bedingham (28), having survived a chance with just a single to his name when a sliced drive against left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican landed safely between three fielders, edged an away-swinger from Joseph to ‘keeper Joshua de Silva.
Mulder (0) departed second ball to another away-swinger from the same bowler, to the same fielder, and Keshav Maharaj (0) became the third batsman to depart to his second ball when Joseph shattered his defences to hit off-stump.
Kagiso Rabada posted the fourth duck of the innings when Seales bowled him and Kyle Verreyne became Joseph’s fifth victim when he was bowled behind his legs for 21 from 33 balls.
The first test in Trinidad finished in a draw after almost 150 overs were lost to rain.
More showers are forecast for all five days in Guyana but not as heavy or as regular as they were in Trinidad.
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Mikyle Louis, Keacy Carty, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva (wkt), Gudakesh Motie, Jomel Warrican, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger.