South Africa made short work of the West Indies second-innings and clinched a comprehensive victory by an innings & 63 runs in the first Test in St Lucia this Saturday.
The visitors ended the proceedings within three days, with their ace quick Kagiso Rabada taking a five-fer and fellow paceman Anrich Nortje, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj sharing the rest of the wickets.
Resuming play at 82/4, still 143 runs behind Proteas’ first-innings score, West Indies needed Roston Chase, Jermaine Blackwood, Jason Holder and the rest to do something special to make the visitors bat again in difficult batting conditions.
But, even though Chase provided a level of resistance through his fighting knock of 62 that lasted 156 deliveries, no one else could stay there long enough with him. Nevertheless, it was one of Chase’s better Test match innings considering the circumstances, with the opposition tails up and his team in deep trouble to say the least.
However, the rest of the batting line-up couldn’t be so pleased with their effort. Blackwood, who was twice reprieved on the DRS early in the day, was eventually dismissed a few overs later by Rabada when he mistimed a shot straight to the short cover fielder.
Jason Holder, usually one of West Indies’ rock at the crease, got out, misjudging the line of the ball as he shouldered arms to be bowled by Maharaj for just four runs. Soon, Chase was also sent back by Maharaj (2/23), which pretty much ended all hopes of the hosts avoiding an innings defeat.
Rabada, then, got the better of Joshua Da Silva (9) and Rahkeem Cornwall (0) in quick succession to complete his five-fer, a cause of relief for him after enduring an indifferent run with the ball through South Africa’s World Test Championship campaign.
Nortje, who had taken a couple of wickets last evening, added No.11 Jayden Seales (3) to his kitty to secure a three-fer (3/46) for the innings.
Lungi Ngidi couldn’t add to his tally for the match on Day 3, but he was one of the chief destroyers on the opening day alongside Nortje. The tall paceman had taken a five-fer (5/19), only his second in Tests, and shared nine wickets for the innings with Nortje (4/35) to set up the match for South Africa.
The Calypso Kings conceded too much ground on Day 1 after being bundled out for a disappointing score of 97 in just over 40 overs. While they were outdone by some outstanding fast-bowling in tough conditions, the innings did expose major faults in West Indies batsmen’s technique.
The only positive from the entire Test for the hosts was 19-year-old quick Seales, who took three wickets in his maiden outing at this level after being fast-tracked despite inexperience at the first-class arena.
It isn’t that South Africa enjoyed much contrasting fortunes on the batting front, as they too found life difficult on a seam-friendly track. Several of their batters didn’t get going. Aiden Markram (60) and Rassie van der Dussen (46) were the two stand-out performers in the top four.
But Quinton de Kock took the game away from West Indies with a superlative knock of 141*. De Kock showed ample resolve and range through his innings and made a majority of Proteas’ 322. It was his sixth Test hundred, as he reminded everyone why he is rated so highly. The innings also earned him the ‘Player-of-the-Match’ award.
Teams will stay in St Lucia for the second and final Test of the series, beginning Friday (June 18).
Brief scores:
West Indies 97 all out in 40.5 overs (Jason Holder 20; Lungi Ngidi 5/19, Anrich Nortje 4/35) & 162 all out in 64 overs (Roston Chase 62; Kagiso Rabada 5/34, Anrich Nortje 3/46) lost to South Africa 322 all out in 96.5 overs (Quinton de Kock 141*, Aiden Markram 60; Jason Holder 4/75) by an innings & 63 runs
