Posted by HARD WORK BY THE PROTEAS QUICKIES REWARD THEIR TEAM WITH A TWO DAY BONUS REST.
SOUTH AFRICA TOURING CARIBBEAN AFTER 11 LONG YEARS. TWO TEST MATCH SERIES FOLLOWED BY A 5 T20I SERIES ON SCHEDULE.
West Indies win the toss and elect to bat. A good 10 over start that just couldn’t go a long way. Both openers have 15 to their name. South Africa strike 1 and would have felt a window to strike more but that just wasn’t a window as Windies fumbled down scoring 35 runs and loosing 6 wickets in that passage of play. The surface has been a bit spicy which was a lot for the South Africans as they kept deceiving the windies. Safe to expect a few runs from the big man, Holder as he adds 20 that turned out to be the highest, Cornwall had a few hits to end the horror show. 40.5 overs is all that West Indies could manage and are all out for 97 in the first Innings. Nigidi has a fifer, 4 for Nortje and 1 for Rabada. The pace bowlers making full use of the surface.
South Africa in reply loose their captain on duck but Aiden Markram stuck in there at a good rate gets to his 50 and departs to a beauty from Seales on debut. On debut a cameo by Keegan was all he could display. van der Dussen as busy as always kept the runs coming from one end. Mulder had a stay and De Kock taking the charge made sure South Africa pose a good strong total. 92 runs were scored by De Kock batting with the tail and a total of 141 by him alone saw South Africa post a strong 322 on board. De Kock personally needed runs in test cricket after a few batting fails and have come at the right time against a good bowling attack. Credit to the tail for hanging in as De Kock smashed bowlers at quick pace. Holder has been the pick of the bowlers for windies and tops the sheet with 4. Seales on debut has been impressive with 3 wickets. Couple to Roach and cornwall has one to his name.
A lead of 225 is what windies need to see off first. A few odd boundaries for West Indies and there is some character shown in this 2nd innings but not too late the proteas pull it tight and strike. Wickets tumble from one end and Chase has held an end tight that’s making windies scorecard look a bit better. String of low scores for the Windies same as first innings. With a wicket more in hand Roach decides to have some fun as he hits a few maximums and west Indies are all out on 162. Chase’s patient 62 has been the only highlight for the Windies. Rabada has a fifer, 3 for Nortje and a couple to the spinner Keshav Maharaj. South Africa win by an innings and 63 runs.
Proteas have been tight with their bowling and the batting has been an improved one. Clinical and comprehensive win this for South Africa. Windies have a lot to look on after a couple of drastic batting collapses. A game more and that will decide the faith of the series.
Bureau of sports 