FANTASY PREVIEW
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West Indies – L L L W L
South Africa – L L L W W
Head to Head
West Indies 3 - 22 South Africa (7 draws)
Last meeting: South Africa won by 284 runs (2023)
Venue details (five Tests since 2012)
Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Average scores (innings per match)
289 in the first innings
289 in the second innings
224 in the third innings
113 in the fourth innings
Bat first / Bat second split: Three of the last five Tests at Queen’s Park Oval have ended in a draw. The team batting first and batting second have won once each.
Pace and spin split (innings per team):
First innings: Average 31.5 vs 34, Percentage of wickets 62.3% vs 37.3%
Second innings: Average 33.1 vs 29.8, Percentage of wickets 61% vs 39%
Weather conditions
Rain is expected to interrupt the Test match on all five days. There is a heavy forecast of rain for the first session on Day 1with chances of thunderstorms on the last three days. It may take spinners out of the equation and as the numbers above suggest, pacers can elevate your fantasy fortunes.
Players to watch out for
Kagiso Rabada: The 29-year-old speedster has been a beast for South Africa with the red ball. Since 2023, Rabada has 24 wickets at 17.3 runs apiece. The next best on the list, Nandre Burger, has less than half of Rabada’s wickets (11). If there is any amount of zip in the wickets for the seamers, Rabada will exploit it to the fullest.
Joshua Da Silva: Despite only one fifty in the recently concluded series in England, Da Silva had a decent tour with another score of 49 and showing more promise for the future. Having developed into a partnership builder for West Indies with some valuable knocks this year, the Trinidadian can help you secure some vital points both as a batter and a wicketkeeper.
Jayden Seales: The right-arm seamer was the highest wicket-taker for West Indies in England, picking 13 wickets in five innings. Seales has picked 36 of his 50 Test wickets at home, averaging only 21.8 runs per wicket with a five-for.
Cricket.com’s suggested Fantasy XI
Kraigg Brathwaite, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, Kavem Hodge, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder (vc), Nandre Burger, Kagiso Rabada ( c ), Jayden Seales
Probable Playing XI
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite ( c ), Mikyle Louis, Keacy Carty, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Kemar Roach, Shamar Joseph
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma ( c ), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger
Streaming and Telecast details
The match will begin at 7.30 PM IST on August 7 and be streamed on the Fancode app.
