AUS vs SA, Keshav Maharaj smashes 5th Test fifty: Stats
South Africa's left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj bailed his team out of trouble with a fighting fifty in the ongoing third and final Test versus Australia in Sydney. The number-nine batter, who smoked his fifth fifty in the format, ended up scoring 53 off 81 balls. His timely knock was laced with six boundaries and a maximum. Here we look at his stats.
Important knock from Maharaj
South Africa were reeling at 167/7 in their first innings on Day 5 when Maharaj arrived in the middle. Australia, having declared at 475/4 while batting first, were seeking to bundle SA out twice to record a clean sweep. However, Maharaj largely hampered their plans with a brilliant knock. He added 85 runs alongside Simon Harmer, helping the visitors cross the 250-run mark.
A look at his batting numbers in Tests
Maharaj now owns 1,118 runs in 48 Tests at 15.97. While the 32-year-old smashed his fifth Test fifty in the Sydney game, 84 reads his highest score in the format. With the ball, he has scalped 155 wickets at 32.09. The tally includes nine five-wicket hauls and a match 10-fer as well. Meanwhile, Maharaj returned with figures of 1/108 in Australia's first innings.
SA gets bundled out for 255
SA got bundled out for 255 in their first innings in the rain-curtailed encounter. While no other Proteas batter besides Maharaj could score a fifty, Harmer contributed with a career-best 47. For Australia, pacer Josh Hazlewood took a four-wicket haul in his comeback Test. Pat Cummins dismissed three batters. The Aussies enforced a follow-on with just over a session left in the game.
Stakes high in the contest
It must be noted that Australia, who are leading the series 2-0, can seal a berth in the ICC World Test Championship final with a win in this contest. Like the previous two games, the hosts have dominated the proceedings in Sydney as well. However, the interference of rain dampened their plans with almost two days of play being washed out.
