South Africa take command of 3rd Test

BRIDGETOWN: West Indies managed three late wickets including two with the third new ball but South Africa slowly built a commanding first innings lead of 225 with two wickets standing after the third day of the third Digicel Test yesterday. Contrary to skipper Graeme Smith’s expectations of fast scoring, South Africa, who lead the four-match series 1-0, managed just over three runs an over as they carried their overnight score from 253 for one to 521 for eight replying to the home team’s 296 all out.

Opener AB de Villers made 178 after resuming on 122 while all-rounder Jacques Kallis hit 78 following a solid 71 from Boeta Dippenaar. De Villiers and Dippenaar put on 143 for the second wicket. The slow scoring was underlined by 164 runs equally divided in the first two sessions during which 51 overs were bowled. Off-spinner Chris Gayle has three for 85 off 27 overs, his figures helped by two sharp slip catches by Dwayne Bravo, who was generally brilliant, along with substitute Dwayne Smith. The Kensington Oval pitch remains excellent for batting but it will require plenty grit and determination by the West Indies to keep South Africa at bay over the last two days.

In the first hour’s play, 34 runs were scored off 13 overs as de Villiers in particular was bent on digging in. He took 24 balls to add to his overnight score and seemed quite prepared to let Dippenaar, who resumed on 23, to take the initiative in increasing the scoring rate. Bravo was brilliant at extra-cover, diving to both sides to save possible boundaries from drives by Dippenaar and de Villiers, especially  when fast bowler Reon King was operating from the Malcolm Marshall end at the south in the pre-lunch session. Ironically, in diving to his left to effect a save off a drive from Dippenaar off King, the ball ricocheted into his sunglasses and resulted in a gash below the left eye. Dippenaar reached his fifty in 134 minutes off 115 balls with five boundaries and a six. That six was well struck over straight long-off off left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds and took him to 65.

De Villiers got to 150 in 461 minutes off 299 deliveries with 15 fours and a six. It took a sharp piece of fielding by Smith to effect the breakthrough in the final over before lunch. Dippenaar turned Ryan Hinds to short backward square and took off for a single. The fleet-footed Smith pounced on the ball from short fine-leg and in one motion struck the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Dippenaar a couple feet short of his ground. At lunch the score was 335 for two with de Villiers on 155 and Kallis yet to score. Dippenaar’s long innings was eventually ended when he edged King for wicket-keeper Courtney Browne to take a low catch. The batsman stood his ground before he was given out by New Zealander Billy Bowden, who consulted with his square-leg counterpart Simon Taufel. Dippenaar batted for nine-and-a-quarter hours, faced 351 balls and struck 15 boundaries and a six.

Gayle accounted for Herschelle Gibbs, who pushed at an arm ball with an open face and was caught low at slip by Bravo for eight shortly before tea. At the break, it was 417 for four with Kallis on 44 and Ashwell Prince, four. Left-hander Prince showed some enterprise as Kallis continued to dig in but he failed to take advantage of a dropped catch by Browne off Gayle on 23 as he essayed a cut. In Gayle’s next over, he again cut, at the third ball, and was brilliantly caught right-handed at slip by Bravo.

After a stand of 46 for the sixth wicket between Kallis and wicket-keeper Mark Boucher, both fell in quick succession. Kallis was well caught at slip by Smith off medium-pacer Wavell Hinds’ third ball of the day. He batted for 232 minutes, 156 balls and struck just four boundaries. And with the second ball of the third new ball, which was taken with the score 502 for six, Boucher was bowled off the inside edge as he tried to force through the off side. Powell struck again with the first ball of his next over as Monde Zondeki hit one pitched short to captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul at wide mid-off. (CMC)