Gibbs, Kallis torture Windies

CAPE TOWN: An unexpected deterioration of the weather conditions proved only a temporary reprieve for the West Indies as Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis plundered the hapless visitors in compiling hundreds to put South Africa in a position to press for a third victory in a row going into the final day of the third cricket Test at Newlands.

Resuming in brilliant sunshine after an unseasonal cold front brought showers that halted play in mid-afternoon, the pair extended their third-wicket partnership to 251 —- a record against the Caribbean side and for the ground —- as the hosts reached stumps on the fourth day yesterday at 335 for three in their second innings. With an overall lead of 440, Graeme Smith is expected to declare overnight, leaving the visitors with the more realistic prospect of trying to battle through a possible 105 overs to draw the match.

Fervent West Indian optimists will, however, be hoping that their team can give the South Africans a scare with a spectacular run-chase, although the prospects of that materialising on a wearing pitch and against determined opponents appear distinctly remote. Barring an heroic, defiant batting effort, West Indian hopes of saving the match and avoiding the chance of a series whitewash would seem to rest with a return of the rain that held up play for three hours.

With Cape Town blanketed by thick grey clouds from early on the fourth morning, the threat of showers loomed ominously until they finally arrived in mid-afternoon. No doubt relieved at the stoppage with South Africa already well placed at 188 for two, Brian Lara’s men, like so many at the ground, would have already counted the rest of the day as a washout.
But just as suddenly as it arrived, the clouds lifted and, as the excellent drainage facilities at the ground did its job with remarkable efficiency, play was able to resume within half-an-hour of the final raindrops settling on the covers.

Sheer carnage then followed to reward the diehards who stayed on through the showers with Gibbs and Kallis running a demoralised team ragged in a run-riot that produced another 147 runs off 26 overs. Gibbs equalled his 142 from the Second Test at Durban. If this innings lacked the absolute command of his effort at Kingsmead, it was only because of the testing conditions in the morning and the need to abandon caution in the quest for quick runs later in the day.

The opener’s 12th Test hundred included 15 fours and four sixes, three of which came after he had reached three figures. Kallis, always much more cautious and circumspect, nevertheless smashed two sixes along with six fours in reaching his 14th century at this level and third in as many matches, joining Alan Melville —- who actually scored four in consecutive innings — as the only South Africans to score three hundreds in successive Tests. Like Gibbs, he celebrated with three more sixes over the boundary ropes after the landmark in finishing undefeated on 130. Both were helped by another pathetic fielding display with Chris Gayle, Fidel Edwards and substitute Mervyn Dillon all dropping catches of varying degrees of difficulty to further lengthen an already long list of missed chances.

Those lapses, coupled with generally untidy outcricket, continued to make a mockery of the once proud West Indian tradition of fielding that has now been reduced to absolute shambles during this series. Yet there was a buoyant mood at the start of the day when, with the ball darting around in the helpful conditions, Edwards sent Smith’s off-stump cart-wheeling when the home captain, on 24, offered no shot to an in-swinging delivery from the fast bowler in the day’s second over. First innings century-maker Jacques Rudolph followed him back to the pavilion in the next over, caught behind for a duck off Vasbert Drakes and at 50 for two, Lara’s plan to dismiss the opposition cheaply was working.

But that optimism was short-lived as Edwards indulged in excessive short-pitched bowling, while all the others lacked the necessary penetration to cause any real anxities for Gibbs and Kallis. They had already regained the initiative, even with Lara resorting to his slow bowlers operating on a leg-side line, when a light drizzle developed into persistent showers after lunch.
The third-wicket pairing’s frustration was obvious as they lingered in the hope that the rain would relent. Thankfully for them, and painfully for the West Indies, it eventually did and they gleefully added to their already impressive run tallies to leave their bedraggled opponents hoping for a batting miracle, or at least a few more showers today.