Shamar Joseph is making a magnificent comeback in form, snatching wickets in his territory, and taking a five-wicket haul on his home turf. On the first day of the second Test against South Africa, Joseph unleashed his talent, getting rid of five Proteas batsmen for just 33 runs. It all but led the effort for South Africa to be bowled out for 160 runs. However, West Indies faced a tough day as they strived and scratched to be 97/7 at stumps.
Joseph Returns to Form with Five-Wicket Haul
Joseph was back in his elements after being washed out in the first Test in Trinidad, and his performance was a throwback to his debut series in Australia. It was in January when he had a spell to remember—a seven-wicket haul that enabled West Indies to win a Test in Australia after a gap of 27 years. Coming off a below-par performance against England last month, where he looked off-color, Joseph performed very well, much like a breath of fresh air.
The young bowler’s spell was particularly special, given the conditions. He came on as the first change and conditions were ideal for fast bowlers on this day. His pace and length have caused a lot of problems for the South African batsmen, with his wicket early on accounting for opener Adrian Markram and setting the tone for the attack that was to follow for the West Indies. His effort, along with Jayden Seales’s 3 for 45, was the underlying factor in bundling the South Africans out.
Five-Wicket Haul Highlights Day
“It’s a great feeling to have done this at home, said Joseph. I haven’t played much here at Providence, but I had a clear plan and was glad to deliver for the team.” His five-wicket haul was his third in Test cricket, showing that he is back to his best. Though this was an early collapse, South Africa still added 63 runs for the last wicket, thanks to Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger. Their efforts got South Africa to post a competitive total. Piedt remained unbeaten at 38, and Burger added 23 to help the team get past the psychological 100-run mark.
The West Indies were in a difficult situation when their innings finally began. The South African bowlers made things tough for the top order of the West Indies, especially through Wiaan Mulder’s figures—4 for 18. The introduction of Wiaan Mulder turned the tide of things instead of Kagiso Rabada, where the West Indies found themselves at 56 for 6.
West Indies Struggle vs South African Pace
Jason Holder and Gudakesh Motie then struggled to prevent the absolute collapse of the innings. He remained not out, and Motie’s resistance did help in the stabilization of the innings, though Motie’s dismissal in the final over of the day to Keshav Maharaj added extra pressure on the West Indies.
One of the more intriguing aspects of the Test thus far has been the return to form of Shamar Joseph, pointing toward what he can do and how key that is for the West Indies. However, with the South African bowlers hitting their straps at the right time, it looks to be an uphill task ahead for the West Indies and a further notch in what has grown to be an exciting Test series.
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