Keshav Maharaj becomes second South African spinner to take 150 Test wickets

South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj achieved a significant milestone on day four of the second Test against Bangladesh in Gqeberha. The 32-year old became the second Proteas spinner to take 150 Test wickets as the hosts demolished the Tigers. In the process, he also sent several other records tumbling.

Maharaj's 150th Test wicket was that of Bangladesh's No.10 batter Khaled Ahmed, who was trapped plumb. Before Maharaj, Hugh Tayfield, who played between 1949 and 1960, took 170 wickets in 37 games. Furthermore, Maharaj became the first bowler in the history of Test cricket to take a seven-wicket haul in the fourth innings of consecutive Tests.

Day four started with the Natal-born player dismissing Bangladesh keeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim for a single. Subsequently, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj ran through the tourists' batting lineup as South Africa took the remaining seven wickets within an hour's play. The winning margin for the Proteas was a whopping 332 runs.

The 32-year old, who snared 16 wickets in the series at an average of 12.12, has the most wickets by a Proteas bowler against Bangladesh in a Test series. He expectedly earned the Player of the Series award for his exploits. With Harmer and Maharaj sharing all ten wickets in the fourth innings, it marked the first time since 1950 that two South African spinners ran through an opposition innings.

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Keshav Maharaj top-scored for Proteas in first innings of second Test

The left-arm spinner also displayed his ability with the bat, making a career-best 84 in the first innings in Gqeberha to lift the hosts to 453. The veteran added 80 runs with Wiaan Mulder. He snapped a couple of wickets in the first innings to help the Proteas secure a 236-run lead and finish with a match haul of 36-9-97-9.

With the win, Dean Elgar & co. climbed to second spot in the ICC World Test Championship table, behind Australia. Bangladesh carried high hopes after winning the ODI series, but they couldn't replicate those exploits in red ball cricket.