South African batting star Jacques Kallis (right) looks on in disbelief after being bowled for a duck by West Indian paceman Daren Powell during yesterday's third day of the first Test at Bourda. – Dellmar Photo
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):
CAPITALISING ON a rare
display of South African indiscipline that bore a tinge of arrogance, the West Indies trio of fast bowlers made the most of a severely shortened third day of the first Digicel Test yesterday to leave the tourists with little realistic prospect of avoiding the follow-on.
In the less than three hours' play possible after torrential morning showers left the boundary areas of Bourda saturated, South Africa slid to 95 for six through a combination of purposeful bowling by Pedro Collins, Daren Powell and Reon King who took two wickets each and poor shot selection.
An unbroken seventh-wicket partnership between Mark Boucher (32) and Nicky Boje (21) saved them from the humiliation of being dismissed before fading light again brought play to a premature end.
GLOOMY START
But at 130 for six, they resume on the fourth day needing another 214 runs just to ensure that the West Indies bat a second time after the home team had amassed 543 for five declared over the first two days of this opening encounter of the four-match series.
It was a day that started gloomily although the many grey clouds hid more than a few silver linings for the Caribbean side.
A complete washout of the day seemed inevitable as the clouds hung low over Georgetown
following heavy and prolonged early-morning rain that turned the outskirts of the field into vast swathes of mud.
However the pitch and most of the infield were well protected by the massive tarpaulin covers that are standard fare on a ground reputed for the unfortunate ability of attracting precipitation on a grand South American scale.
Gradually the clouds lifted to reveal a sun-drenched afternoon and diehard West Indian fans who stayed on despite the dreary forecast were richly rewarded when play got under way in mid-afternoon.
Restarting their reply at two without loss, South Africa quickly lost their captain as Graeme Smith, on two, was drawn into a defensive prod by Collins and edged a straightforward catch to wicketkeeper Courtney Browne.
A stunning collapse followed with the tourists crashing from 15 without loss to 16 for three in the space of five deliveries.
Following hard on the heels of Smith's demise, new batsman Jacques Rudolph edged the first ball he faced, from Powell, low into the slip cordon where Ryan Hinds snared a good catch a third slip millimetres from the ground.
DUCK FOR KALLIS
Jacques Kallis, with centuries in each of the four Tests of the corresponding series 14 months ago behind him, strode to the middle amid an air of expectation. Yet his desire to dominate immediately got the better of him as the big Western Province right-hander attempted to pull the second delivery he faced and dragged the ball on to his middle-stump to depart for a duck.
The double-success could hardly have been sweeter for Powell, the Jamaican pacer whose contract with Gauteng two seasons ago was cancelled because the South African province was not satisfied with his level of fitness.
Playing his first Test since the brief series in Bangladesh at the end of 2002, Powell charged in with gusto, his effort typifying the overall West Indies performance.
The South Africans, who chose not to play a warm-up match as a prelude to the series and opted instead for three days of practice in Antigua, seemed unable to cope with the occasional varying bounce off the Bourda pitch with many in their top order hell-bent on going for their shots despite the parlous position they found themselves in.
Collins removed the dangerous Herschelle Gibbs leg-before for five to a delivery that skidded through to the right-hander's pads and reduced the visitors to 30 for four.
Opening batsman A.B. de Villiers finally got some support from Boucher, adding
41 runs for the fifth wicket with the wicketkeeper-batsman only to essay a loose shot at King after tea for Browne to snare the chance off the batsman's inside edge. His departure for 41 brought in Andrew Hall, who almost instantly miscued a pull off Kings for Collins to take the catch low to his right at mid-on.
Tottering at 95 for six, South Africa's previous lowest Test innings total against the West Indies - 141 in the final Test in Kingston four years - looked some distance away.
But the pair finally discovered some of their team's renowned reserves of determination and were helped along the way by the bowling indiscipline that resulted in 20 no-balls and one wide being conceded by the home side.
Firmly in the driver's seat with two days to go, weather permitting, the West Indies know they must still keep their seatbelts buckled and hands on the steering wheel if they are to confound the odds and the critics by taking the early lead in the series.
SCOREBOARD
West Indies first innings
543-5 dec.
South Africa first innings (Resumed at 2-0)
G. Smith c Browne b Collins 2
A. de Villiers c Browne b King 41
J. Rudolph c R. Hinds b Powell 0
J. Kallis b Powell 0
H. Gibbs lbw Collins 5
M. Boucher not out 32
A. Hall c Collins b King 2
N. Boje not out 21
Extras: (lb-6 nb-20 w-1) 27
Total: (for six wkts - 37 overs) 130
Fall: 1-15 2-16 3-16 4-30 5-71 6-95.
Bowling: Collins 12 - 2 - 33 - 2 (nb-8), Powell 10 - 1 - 42 - 2 (nb-5 w-1), King 9 - 1 - 32 - 2 (nb-6), R. Hinds 6 - 2 - 17 - 0.
