Keshav Maharaj second South African to take 9 wickets in a Test innings
Monday, July 23, 2018 IST
HIGHLIGHTS
*Keshav Maharaj's figures are the best against Sri Lanka by any opposition bowler
*Maharaj became the 19th bowler to take 9 wickets in an innings
*Sri Lanka are 1-0 up in the two-match Test series
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South Afrcan spinner Keshav Maharaj has joined a rare company of bowlers who have taken nine wickets in an innings in a Test match.
Maharaj bagged his career best 9/129 on the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the SSC Stadium in Colombo.
By doing so, he became the only the second bowler from South Africa to pick nine wickets in an innings in a Test. Hugh Tayfield, in 1957, was the first South African to do so when he bagged 9/113 against England in Johannesburg.
Sri Lanka were dismissed for 338 in their first innings of the second and final Test on Saturday.
Resuming on 277 for nine, Akila Dananjaya and Rangana Herath frustrated South Africa with a dogged 74-run stand for the final wicket before Maharaj struck when the latter was caught behind for 35. Dananjaya remained unbeaten on 43.
Overall, Maharaj became the 19th bowler to achieve the feat that put him alongside some of the greats of the game. Only Jim Laker (10/53) and Anil Kumble (10/74) have picked all 10 wickets in an innings of a Test match.
Maharaj's figures are the best against Sri Lanka by any opposition bowler.
After a promising start where the openers put on 116 runs for the first wicket, Sri Lanka collapsed as Maharaj bowled a probing line. In a bid to strengthen their batting after their poor show in Galle, the tourists went into the game with a lone spinner, leaving out Tabraiz Shamsi and they may have regretted the decision given Sri Lanka's troubles against the only spinner.
After electing to bat first, Sri Lanka's openers dominated the morning session. Their 116-run stand is Sri Lanka's first 100 plus partnership for the opening wicket since October 2016. Since then Sri Lanka have gone through 21 Test matches without a 100 plus partnership by the openers.
Maharaj bowled unchanged in the afternoon session and picked up both openers Dimuth Karunaratne (53) and Danushka Gunathilaka (57) in successive overs. He also accounted for Kusal Mendis to reduce Sri Lanka to 168 for three by tea.
In the final session's play on the first day, Maharaj claimed five wickets to put South Africa on top. Kagiso Rabada claimed the other wicket to fall when he cleaned up Roshen Silva for 22.
Dhananjaya de Silva top scored with 60 runs and was tested by Rabada, who reverse-swung the old ball considerably but with little success. De Silva was hit on the shoulder by a Rabada bouncer when he ducked late. Eventually, he became yet another victim of Maharaj as South Africa successfully reviewed after the appeal had been turned down by umpire Nigel Llong.
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