Limp Windies bowlers wilt

BRIDGETOWN: Captain Graeme Smith and fellow opener AB de Villiers struck polished centuries yesterday to pilot South Africa to a commanding position on the second day of the third Digicel Test match against the West Indies at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. The pair shared an opening stand of 191 to steer South Africa to close comfortably placed on 253 for one in reply to the home team’s paltry first innings of 296 all out. Left-hander Smith’s 104, his 10th test century, was decorated with 13 fours and one six. The 24-year-old faced 203 balls in 278 minutes.

De Villiers registered his second hundred in his 10th test, ending unbeaten on 122. The 21-year-old right-hander has so far lashed 13 fours and a six off 237 balls in just under six hours. “From a personal point of view, it was fantastic. Also to have a partnership with AB up front to set up things was terrific,” said Smith. Boeta Dippenaar, unbeaten on 23, shared an unbroken stand of 62 with de Villiers to maintain South Africa’s grip. The tourists took control with the ball early on the second day as the West Indies, resuming on 292 for seven, crumbled to 296 all out inside 20 minutes. It took all of 20 balls to wrap up the Windies first innings.

Monde Zondeki (four for 50) and Andre Nel (four for 56) wasted no time in running through the Windies’ tail with the addition of a princely four runs to the overnight score. Zondeki gave the visitors an ideal start as he removed Daren Powell with the day’s fourth delivery. The right-hander snicked behind to provide wicket-keeper Mark Boucher with his fourth catch of the innings. Next over, Zondeki claimed Fidel Edwards with a bouncer which was fended meekly to short leg. Zondeki could not be kept out of the action and he combined with Nel to keep the West Indies’ total under 300. “We said it would be an important day today,” Smith said. “It was great to see our bowlers clean up the tail.”

Edwards hurried Smith and de Villiers with the new ball as South Africa replied, but the West Indies effort was quickly dulled by the assured pair. They took advantage of a good batting pitch and had very few alarms along the way. Dwayne Bravo had two in the field to make the breakthrough but could not convert. He would have run out de Villiers for 15 before lunch but his throw just missed as the batsman misjudged a single to midwicket. Just after the break, his spectacular left-handed effort at deepish cover just failed to provide Edwards with the wicket of Smith as he drove. The South African skipper was then 25. 

There was little for the crowd of 6,000 to cheer afterward, as Smith and de Villiers piled on the home misery. Smith accelerated in the final session and notched his fourth century against West Indies with consecutive pulled boundaries off Daren Powell. He fell soon afterwards as he tried to attack against Chris Gayle’s off spin, spooning a catch to mid-off as he tried to clear the leg side. De Villiers, then 84, advanced to his hundred 45 minutes before the close as he and Dippenaar survived to the close.