The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : South Africa in a position of strength

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Monday, Apr 25, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

South Africa in a position of strength

BRIDGETOWN: West Indies was struggling at 36 for three in its second innings at lunch on the fourth day of the third Test on Sunday. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (13) and Brian Lara (5) were batting.

Earlier, South African opener A.B. de Villiers made a determined 178 and South Africa extended its first innings lead to 225 and a position of supremacy against West Indies on the third day of the third cricket Test here on Saturday.

De Villiers' second Test century spanning nine hours, 11 minutes, was the backbone of the visiting side's total of 521 for eight at Kensington Oval. West Indies was out for 296.

After captain Graeme Smith's century on Friday, Jacques Kallis (78) and Boeta Dippenaar (71) provided solid middle-order support despite a vigorous effort by the West Indies attack.

Chris Gayle took three for 85 with his off-spin while pacer Daren Powell claimed two late wickets with the third new ball and finished with two for 89.

South Africa resumed at 253 for one overnight and quickly maintained its authority on an excellent pitch for batting.

De Villiers and Dippenaar stretched their second-wicket stand to 143 in the morning and displayed straight-batted certainty against the second new ball.

Dippenaar was the more enterprising as de Villiers, 122 overnight, was calm in the opening exchanges.

Solid stand

The breakthrough before the interval did not faze the South Africans, and de Villiers and Kallis forged another solid stand for the third wicket, worth 58.

The West Indies finally claimed de Villiers midway through the second session when Reon King found a faint edge through to wicketkeeper Courtney Browne. De Villiers hit 15 fours and a six off 352 deliveries in registering his highest first-class score. The home team struck again just before tea when Herschelle Gibbs (8) edged Gayle low to first slip where Dwayne Bravo, a standout in the field, held a low catch.

Kallis shared useful partnerships with Ashwell Prince (23) and Mark Boucher (28) as the lead continued to mount in the final session. But West Indies was rewarded for a disciplined performance with three quick wickets near the end of the day. Kallis was eyeing another century when part-timer Wavell Hinds' third delivery provoked a forcing backfoot stroke and a thick edge to a diving Smith at slip.

The arrival of the third new ball half-hour before the close accounted for Boucher and Monde Zondeki (2), and gave the home crowd something to cheer. — AP

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