Maharaj's historic hat-trick fuels South Africa victory

The victory, secured before tea on day four, locked in South Africa’s first Test series win away from home since March 2017, when they beat New Zealand.

Maharaj accounted for Kieran Powell (51), Jason Holder (0) and Joshua Da Silva (0) in the space of three balls to become the second South African to claim a Test hat-trick on his way to figures of 5/36.

Starting the day at 15/0 chasing a hefty target of 324, the West Indies only added a run to the board when Kagiso Rabada (3/44) procured an outside edge from Kraigg Brathwaite (6) that was safely snaffled by Dean Elgar at first slip.

Rabada quickly added to his tally with the dismissal of Shai Hope (2) with a brute of a bouncer the batter could only glove to the cordon.

A 64-run stand between Powell and Kyle Mayesr (34) put the chase back on the rails before the latter became Rabada’s third victim, top-edging a pull shot that was caught impressively by Elgar running back from the slips.

From there, Maharaj took over. With the West Indies 107/3, Powell swept Maharaj straight into the hands of Anrich Nortje on the ropes. Having raised his half-century off 108 balls, Powell fell for 51 off 116.

His dismissal was just the opening Maharaj needed and with his next delivery, he had Jason Holder (0) caught at short leg for a golden duck and found himself on a hat-trick. He etched his name into the record books by dismissing Joshua Da Silva for a first-ball duck, with the keeper-batter caught impressively by Wiaan Mulder at leg-slip.

With that he became the first player from South Africa to take a Test hat-trick since Geoff Griffin in 1960.

Having at one stage been 90/2, the West Indies went to lunch at 109/6.

A handy 40-run stand between Jermaine Blackwood and Kemar Roach reduced the deficit but ultimately proved in vain when Quinton de Kock took a diving catch to his right off Lungi Ngidi (1/29) to remove Blackwood for 25.

Maharaj then wrapped up the match with the dismissals of Roach (27) and Jayden Seales (7), with Roston Chase unable to bat due to injury.