The last day of the rain-affected game demonstrated the competitive edge we were expecting for in the series opener, as both teams made every effort to avoid a tie. Ultimately, rain caused too much time to be lost, and they had to make do with the first draw in 28 Test cricket matches. In Guyana, the teams will hope to return to their winning ways.
Thankfully, it is anticipated that the elements won’t have as big of an impact, meaning that more play should be feasible. There is much for both teams to improve. First and foremost, the goal will be to get one or more batters to turn a start into a three-figure score. It appears that staying in was more of a problem than getting in, since three South Africans (Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma, and Tristan Stubbs) and one West Indian (Alick Athanaze) each scored half-centuries in Trinidad. Nine other players had individual scores in the 30s.
Despite the quiet pitch, batting in this series seems to be a test of endurance. Players with a reputation for maintaining vigils in the middle, like David Bedingham and Kraigg Brathwaite, may be ones to watch out for.
Bowlers in Test cricket always have a time-based difficulty as they try to maintain their discipline over extended periods of time. Jayden Seals, who bowled eight periods in South Africa’s first innings in Trinidad, and Keshav Maharaj, who bowled 40 consecutive overs in the West Indies’ first innings, demonstrated that this series seems to demand more than most. Excellent examples of competence and perseverance have been demonstrated, and these trends should continue in the second Test, where there will be significant stakes.
West Indies are still looking for their second victory and are at the bottom of the World Test Championship points standings. Their next assignments are a tour to Pakistan and a match against Bangladesh in the Caribbean, so they’ll be looking to take advantage of every home advantage.
Due to the first Test’s draw, South Africa will need to win each of the remaining seven Tests in order to advance in this World Test Championship cycle. They will have a very good chance of making it to the final if they can maintain a spotless record. They could still make it to Lord’s if they make a mistake elsewhere, but their chances of getting there will depend on other teams’ outcomes—teams that play far more than they do.
