NEWLANDS – At 18 years and 137 days old, Kwena Maphaka became the youngest South African to make his test debut in men’s international cricket, while still completing school at St Stithians College, in Johannesburg.
Proteas spinner Paul Adams previously held this honour when he first played test cricket for the Proteas in 1995 at the age of 18 years and 340 days against England in Gqeberha.
Despite still waiting on his matric results, Maphaka first test scalp was the crucial wicket of the highly rated Pakistan batter Babar Azam.
“I will really only start thinking about it tomorrow or the next day,” the fiery fast bowler said when asked about taking his maiden test wicket whilst still awaiting his matric results.
“Right now I am just focusing on the cricket and just want to give it my all,” said Maphaka.
The fiery fast bowler was understandably elated when he went on an aeroplane run as his teammates joined him in his maiden wicket success.
“It was crazy,” Maphaka said.
“I was trying to hit a good area, but that ball did not go where it was supposed to, but things like that happen for a reason.
“I was really happy to have gotten that wicket and running through my mind was exactly nothing but the fact I’d got my first Test wicket.
“Let me run around and celebrate my first Test wicket. All the nerves were gone, so it was all about me hitting the good areas.
“I needed to try and be consistent as possible and it worked out.”
Photo Credit: Mark Ward