The South African pacer Kagiso Rabada felt like scoring a hundred when he picked his tenth five-wicket haul to help Proteas thrash West Indies by an innings and 63 runs in the first Test on Saturday. It was his first Test five-for in an innings in more than three years and Kagiso Rabada was elated with his performance against the West Indies.
Kagiso Rabada likened his emotions after his first five-for in Test cricket since March 2018 to the feeling a batsman has when he scores a hundred after a lean patch. However, he maintained that not much had changed about his bowling in the last three years.
Kagiso Rabada Really Glad About His Performance As He Picked Up 5 Wickets For The First Time Since 2018
Kagiso Rabada’s 5 for 34 saw South Africa wrap up an innings win over West Indies in less than two-and-a-half days; a victory built on a strong first-innings showing with the ball when they dismissed West Indies for 97. The architect of that performance was his new-ball partner Lungi Ngidi, who took 5 for 19 to record his second five-for in Test cricket and first since debut in January 2018.
“You measure the highest accolades in cricket by scoring hundreds and taking five-fors and ten-fors. It’s something you always strive to do. Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened for me in recent years but I’m glad that’s happened today,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Rabada as saying.
Kagiso Rabada: South Africa Is A Rebuilding Team As Even Most Experienced Players Are Young
West Indies was bowled out for 162 in their second innings as South Africa sealed a win in the opening Test inside three days. Kagiso Rabada said the win will give South Africa massive confidence going into further games.
“We’re a young team and we are rebuilding,” he said. “Even our most experienced players are young, like myself and Quinny [de Kock]. Dean is our most experienced but for me, at 26, to be one of the most experienced paints a picture of how young we are as a team,” said Rabada.
“It’s going to give us massive confidence not only moving into the next Test match but moving into the next few years. We can’t take anything for granted but just take all the positives that we’ve done in this Test match and keep building on those. This win has given us a lot of confidence,” he added.
Quinton de Kock won the Player of the Match for his impressive hundred. The second Test between both sides will be played from June 18. De Kock returned to international form with his century in the Caribbean, his first Test score over 30 in seven innings to break a lean patch that was starting to get under his skin.
South Africa 322 (de Kock 141*, Holder 4-75) beat West Indies 97 (Holder 20, Ngidi 5-19, Nortje 4-35) & 162 (Chase 62, Rabada 5-34) by an innings and 63 runs