Kagiso Rabada was at his devastating best during the Proteas’ 87-run win over the West Indies in the first Test of their two-match series.
Cape Town — Kagiso Rabada is a maestro fast bowler. His status in the pantheon of the greatest to have sent down the red ball is already assured.
It is his ability to deliver when needed most that separates him from the rest. And the Proteas were certainly depending on their talisman after yet another batting collapse that gave the West Indies hope of pulling off a surprise victory in the first Test at Centurion.
Rabada crushed all such hopes with yet another masterful display of 6/50 to save the home team’s blushes, which also ensured that the new Test era under captain Temba Bavuma and coach Shukri Conrad began on a positive note with a 87-run victory.
The 27-year-old would be the first to acknowledge that the Centurion surface offered plenty of assistance to the fast bowlers due to the variable bounce, but like anyone will tell you, it still requires the bowler to land the ball consistently in the right areas.
And that’s exactly what makes Rabada such a class act. Whereas his teammates were getting carried away with the extravagant assistance the surface had to offer, he simply remained patient outside that off stump, which earned him the just rewards.
2⃣ seamers
1⃣4⃣ wickets
♾ speed #SAvWI #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/Q21FnfJ1hB— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) March 2, 2023
It was a trait he learnt on the recent Australian tour where the Proteas’ bowlers were put under relentless pressure.
“It wasn’t the best wicket. When it is squatting down late on day two, you know there is a lot of work for us to do. We kept sure to keep the good intensity and make sure we do well,” Rabada said.
“You never stop learning in this game. There is always some sort of learning curve. Australia was a downer. When you play on good wickets like that, you become a better bowler. That’s what I took out of Australia.”
The eventual victory margin may look comfortable, but the tourists were always in the hunt while Jermaine Blackwood was at the crease. The Windies’ No.4 had adopted a positive approach from the outset and looked to score at every opportunity.
He put all the Proteas’ bowlers under pressure, including Rabada when he latched onto anything full by driving forcefully down the ground.
But such is Rabada’s competitive nature that he won’t lie down. In fact, when presented with a challenge, it only gets the fire burning stronger inside the big fast bowler, and he kept charging in before sending down a sharp delivery that kicked off a good length and forced Blackwood to fend it to Aiden Makram at second slip.
Rabada had broken the Windies’ resistance and in the process completed his 13th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. He only required four more balls to finish the Test by trapping last man Kemar Roach, who had earlier also claimed 5/47 to bring the Windies back into the contest, plumb in front LBW.
RESULT | SOUTH AFRICA WON BY 87 RUNS 🚨
Kagiso Rabada grabbed 6/50 in the second innings as the #Proteas get the Betway Test series off to a winning start 🇿🇦#SAvWI #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/jdHTBNyEsq
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) March 2, 2023
“We always measure ourselves on intensity, and how we keep coming back,” he said. “I thought I bowled nicely, I thought as an attack we bowled extremely well too. We utilised game plans really well. We were really harsh on ourselves, but also gave ourselves credit when we executed what we wanted to.”
Rabada and the rest of the Proteas’ bowling unit will certainly appreciate the two extra days off ahead of the second Test at the Wanderers, starting on March 8, because they once again had to do the bulk of the work to earn South Africa’s first Test win since Lord’s back in August.
The Proteas’ batting unit remains feeble, with collapses of 9/121 and a second innings 116 providing Conrad with the same issues that befell his predecessors.
Apart from Player of the Match Aiden Markram’s 115 and 47, and Elgar’s first innings 71, none of the Proteas batters were able to put together anything of substance.
They will need to find a way of rectifying this before next Wednesday for Rabada and co. cannot pull on their superhero capes every Test match.
Scorecard
South Africa first innings: 342 all out (Markram 115, Joseph 5/81)
West Indies first innings: 212 all out (Reifer 68, Nortje 5/36)
South Africa second innings: 116 all out (Markram 47, Roach 5/47)
West Indies second innings: 153 all out (Blackwood 79, Rabada 6/50)
South Africa won by 87 runs
