Maharaj Calls for ‘Old-Fashioned Cricket’ to Finish the Job in Gqeberha

South Africa's Keshav Maharaj is calling for a return to "old-fashioned Test cricket" as his team seeks to finish off Sri Lanka on the final day of the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha. Following a brief period of frustration in the final 90 minutes on the fourth afternoon, where the bowlers "went searching" for wickets, Maharaj emphasized the need for patience and discipline in the final push for victory.

With Sri Lanka still 143 runs away from leveling the series, Maharaj admitted that as the ball grew older and the pitch remained relatively good for batting, the South African bowlers had to adjust their approach. "It requires a lot of patience, especially as the ball gets older and softer," said Maharaj, reflecting on the game. "The wicket becomes a little bit more placid, but we did go searching a little bit, if I'm honest."

See Also:- BCCI Rejects PCB's Demand for Hybrid Model

Maharaj’s statement comes after a strong bowling performance earlier in the match, where South Africa managed to collapse Sri Lanka’s middle order for just 67 runs. On the final day, however, the hosts will need to apply even more discipline to break through Sri Lanka’s resilient pair of Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva, who had put together an 83-run partnership. Maharaj remains hopeful that staying patient will eventually reap rewards.

"Traditionally, the wickets do happen in clusters," said Maharaj. "There can be a period where the game goes nowhere, and then all of a sudden, it takes one wicket to basically be the catalyst."

South Africa’s bowlers are set to focus on keeping pressure on Sri Lanka's set batsmen and will wait for the second new ball, which will arrive after 28 more overs. Maharaj’s double strike in the previous session, removing Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis, was a crucial turning point, and he hopes to continue exploiting any weaknesses Sri Lanka may have.

Looking ahead, Maharaj knows that one breakthrough could open the floodgates. "It’s about staying patient and hopefully reaping the rewards of some hard graft tomorrow morning," he added, as South Africa looks to secure a series victory and move closer to a spot in the World Test Championship final. For the latest updates on cricket, football, NFL, and more, stay tuned to UC Cricket for breaking news, expert analysis, and all the action from the world of sports.