South Africa vs. West Indies Test Series Winners and Losers

With the series between South Africa now done and dusted, we pick some of the winners and losers. For most of the series, the West Indies were thoroughly outplayed. That is what you would expect to happen when you play against the No. 1-ranked team in the world. Therefore, some of the choices may reflect that dominance. Add your own in the comments.

All quotes and information obtained firsthand. 

Dale Steyn became South Africa’s second-highest wicket taker during the course of the series. Although he went wicketless in Port Elizabeth, for only the second time in his career, he did hit a brisk 50. Sure, batting isn’t his main role, but if Steyn needed to win a few people over, he almost certainly did.

Then there was that superb spell of bowling on the fourth afternoon of the third Test. Steyn’s ability to exploit the swing is second to none and he showed once more why he is the best bowler in the world.

Not only does Hashim Amla retain his unbeaten record as captain, he’s also scored his first hundred as captain. It’s only been six Tests since taking over from Graeme Smith, already he's got an average of 77.57 during his time in charge, including a double hundred.

He’s also exhibited some confident and crafty captaincy manoeuvres, particularly in trusting his bowlers, even if they are inexperienced, to do the job for him.

Stiaan van Zyl has had to wait a long time to make his Test debut. A maiden hundred in his first match made that wait worthwhile. With a spot at the top of the batting order opening up in the near future, Van Zyl will play for South Africa for a few years to come yet.

Speaking of openers, Dean Elgar cemented his spot at the top of the order with a hundred and a half-century. When Graeme Smith retired, there was some precaution over how South Africa will adapt to the massive hole he left at the top of the order. It might have only been the West Indies, but Elgar has showed he has the mettle to knuckle down opening the batting.

What can be said about AB de Villiers that hasn’t been said already? The man is on a different planet to every other player on the park.

His knock at Newlands, a gritty 148 off 194, proved once again why he is one of the best players in the world. It was his second ton of the series and he averaged 103.33 across the three Tests.

When you look at Sulieman Benn, you hardly think “spin bowler.” His physique is far more likely to lend itself to brutal fast bowling but instead he chose to turn his arm over and bowl spin.

On the final day at Newlands, Benn showed that he still has much to offer West Indies cricket. He troubled Faf du Plessis no end and tied down the South Africans on the final day. So much so that it looked as if South Africa might have to wait until after lunch for their victory.

Runs and positives were few and far between for the West Indies on this tour, but Kraigg Brathwaite showed that he has something about him. He has a great temperament and at only 22 years of age, Brathwaite surely has a long future ahead of him.

Sure, Marlon Samuels might have scored a century in Port Elizabeth, but the way he gave his wicket away in Cape Town cost the West Indies massively. Samuels has all the potential in the world to be a great player, but giving his wicket away willy-nilly takes that privilege away from him.

We know what you're thinking. How can Morne Morkel be a loser? He finished the series with 13 wickets at an average of 20.61.

But that's not why he's a loser. Morkel shouldn't have had just 13 wickets, he should have had far more. His aggression and his relentless probing of the batsmen has been extraordinary in this series.

Kemar Roach getting injured in the first Test was just about the worst thing that could happen to the West Indies.

His absence was keenly felt and one can’t help but feel that if he played the whole series, the Windies might have pushed South Africa even further than they did. Roach makes the "losers" list because he missed out on so much. 

If Alviro Petersen was hoping to make a statement about the future of his Test career in this series, he’s succeeded. Although, it’s probably not the kind of statement he would have been hoping for. Petersen strikes the ball so sweetly and, when he’s on a roll, he can be wonderful to watch. But in this series, the pressure to score big was just too much.

He did all the hard work in the first innings in Cape Town, before being needlessly run out on 42. He kept on getting starts but just couldn't convert them. He finishes the series with just 86 runs at an average of 21.50.

There are seven months to go before South Africa play their next Test, but this might have been the last time Petersen is ever seen in a South African shirt.

When Robin Peterson injured his finger ahead of the second Test in Port Elizabeth, Imran Tahir was given yet another Test lifeline. But this has surely been the final nail in his Test career coffin.

Although Tahir is more than adequate in limited overs cricket, he simply is not consistent enough in Tests. He did take three wickets in PE, but his inability to slot into the holding role means that he just isn’t the kind of bowler that fits with the modus operandi of the South African team.