Cape Town - The Proteas completed a 2-0 clean sweep over the West Indies to hand captain Temba Bavuma and coach Shukri Conrad their first series victory at the Wanderers over the weekend.
Here are IOL Sport’s Proteas player ratings:
9 - Aiden Markram
Runs: 275, Ave: 69, HS: 115, 100x1, 50x1
The undoubted player of the series was the recalled Markram who enjoyed a bountiful return to the top of the order. Unlucky to miss out on consecutive centuries, Markram has fully repaid Conrad’s faith in him.
6.5 - Dean Elgar
Runs: 119, HS: 71, Ave: 29.75, 50x1
The former captain provided the Proteas with two solid first innings starts that set up their victories, but would have felt that he should have at least converted into a more meaningful score.
7 - Tony de Zorzi
Runs: 114, Ave: 28.50, HS: 85, 50x1
A solid performance from the Western Province top-order batter in his maiden series, and showed his potential with a half-century at the Wanderers. Has all the building blocks for a promising Test career.
7.5 - Temba Bavuma
Runs: 200, Ave: 50, HS: 172, 100x1
After a nightmare start to his Test captaincy reign with a pair at Centurion, Bavuma hit back in the most emphatic fashion at the Wanderers with a career-best 172 under severe pressure to seal the series win. His leadership was also good throughout - bar the West Indies’ final wicket partnership in the first innings.
100!!! The wait is FINALLY over!!! @TembaBavuma has his 2nd Test 100 seven years after his 1st at Newlands! Take a bow skipper ... that was a sublime innings under pressure! #SAvWI @SABC_Sport @IOL @IOLsport pic.twitter.com/xcm2pA4O0o
— Zaahier Adams (@ZaahierAdams) March 10, 2023
4 - Heinrich Klaasen
Runs: 56, HS: 20, Ave: 14
Comfortable behind the stumps, but did not do enough with the bat to keep Kyle Verreynne out in the shadows for too long.
6 - Wiaan Mulder
Runs: 52 HS: 42, Ave: 27
The all-rounder played a pivotal role in the partnership with Bavuma that swung the Wanderers match, and ultimately the series, in favour of the Proteas.
6.5 - Simon Harmer
Wickets: 5 Ave: 21.60 BBI: 3/45
Bowled decently in the second innings at the Wanderers, especially after Keshav Maharaj went down injured. Could play an important role going forward.
5 - Keshav Maharaj
Wickets: 3 Ave: BBI: 2/4
A tough series for the left-arm spinner after he was left out of the first Test. A recall at the Wanderers was, however, cut short when he suffered a freak injury while celebrating a wicket.
ALSO READ: Five objectives for Rob Walter and the Proteas in ODI series against the West Indies
9 - Kagiso Rabada
Wickets: 12 Ave: 11 BBI: 6/50
“KG” was excellent throughout the series and finished as the leading wicket-taker for the Proteas.
ALSO READ: Keshav Maharaj’s injury opportunity for Bjorn Fortuin to get Proteas ODI berth
8 - Gerald Coetzee
Wickets: 9 Ave: 15.88 BBI: 3/37
An excellent debut series for the young Free State fast bowler. He was particularly good in the second innings at the Wanderers when he had to take on the responsibility of bowling the majority of the overs.
9 - Anrich Nortje
Wickets 6 BBI: 5/36 Ave: 14.00
The most fearsome moustache in world cricket terrorised the Windies in the first Test at Centurion before being ruled out of the second through injury.
6 - Marco Jansen
Wickets: 3 Ave: 32.33 Runs: 29 HS: 23*
Another who played the solitary first Test, but did enough to earn himself a rest for the second much to everyone’s surprise, including Dale Steyn.
3 - Keegan Petersen, Senuran Muthusamy
Both Petersen and Muthusamy were discarded after Centurion and will have to put in the hard yards during the winter to get back into the starting XI.
IOL Sport