Keshav Maharaj‘s five-wicket haul propelled South Africa to a 109-run victory against Sri Lanka in the second Test at St George’s Park on Monday. This secured a 2-0 series win for the Proteas.
Maharaj, the left-arm spinner, finished with figures of 5-76 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 238. The visitors lost their last five wickets for only 33 runs on the final day.
With this victory, South Africa ascended to the top of the World Test Championship standings.
Sri Lanka began the day at 205 for five, requiring another 143 runs for an unlikely win. Their hopes were quickly dashed with the dismissals of overnight batsmen Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis in the first ten overs.
Mendis was the first to depart, edging a low catch to Aiden Markram at slip off Maharaj’s bowling. He scored 46 runs, contributing to a valuable 97-run sixth-wicket partnership with de Silva.
Sri Lankan captain de Silva reached a half-century before being caught behind off Kagiso Rabada‘s bowling. This dismissal left the Sri Lankan tail exposed.
The remaining wickets fell swiftly. Maharaj added two more wickets to his tally.
Marco Jansen concluded the match with his first delivery of the day, dismissing Lahiru Kumara, who was caught attempting a wild slog.
South Africa’s chances of featuring in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June 2024 now appear brighter. Their remaining two fixtures in the championship are home matches against Pakistan. This puts them in a strong position to control their own destiny.