West Indies bowler Kemar Roach and wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva created a bit of history during the West Indies’ 87-run loss to South Africa at Centurion last week.
In a match that lasted less than three days, the accomplishments of both players were overshadowed by the loss but were no less significant in the rich history of great performances by players from the West Indies.
The 34-year-old Roach had match figures of 1-71 and 5-47 during the match in which he picked up his 260th Test wicket and became the fifth most successful West Indies bowler behind Courtney Walsh (519), Curtly Ambrose (405) Malcolm Marshall (376) and Lance Gibbs (305).
His five-wicket haul in the second innings that helped bowl South Africa out for 116, was the 11th of his career that has so far lasted 76 matches since he made his debut against Bangladesh in July 2009.
Joshua Da Silva, meanwhile, playing in his 21st Test, joined now retired West Indies wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs in a pantheon of five ‘keepers who have had seven dismissals in one innings. Other than Jacobs, the only other players to have accomplished the feat were Pakistan’s Wasim Bari, England’s Bob Taylor, and New Zealand’s Ian Smith.
Both players will get the chance to add to their records when the second Test between the West Indies and South Africa bowls off on Thursday, March 8 at Wanderers. The West Indies will be hoping to produce a better performance with the bat and level the series that South Africa now leads 1-0.