Bulawayo, June 30: Stand-in skipper Keshav Maharaj on Sunday became the first spinner from South Africa to take 200 Test wickets, reaching the landmark on the second day of the first match against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. The 35-year-old, who has been playing Test cricket for the past nine years, has gradually grown into the team’s lead spinner in the five-day format. Maharaj achieved the feat when he dismissed his Zimbabwe counterpart Craig Ervine in the 34th over, stumped by Kyle Verreynne. Maharaj has been South Africa’s highest wicket-taker among slow bowlers since going past former off-spinner Hugh Tayfield’s tally of 170 scalps.Left-arm spinner Maharaj now has 202 wickets from 59 Tests, with 11 five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket match haul.
Maharaj also has 631 wickets from 166 matches in First-Class cricket.
Zimbabwe were all out for 251 in response to South Africa’s first-innings total of 418 for nine declared, with Maharaj returning figures of 3/70 in 16.4 overs and Wiaan Mulder finishing with 4/50 in 16 overs.