Windies, SA crawl to a draw

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC):

Jacques Kallis had enough time to complete yet another half-century as the second Test between West Indies and South Africa predictably meandered to a tame draw here yesterday.

The right-hander, who passed 11,000 runs in Tests when he scored his first-innings century, was unbeaten on 62 when South Africa made their second declaration of the match at 235 for three, a lead of 232.

With nothing left in the match deep in the final session, both teams, not surprisingly, decided to call it quits, bringing an end to the high-scoring but hardly inspiring contest at Warner Park.

Kallis shared an unbroken, fourth-wicket stand of 104 with AB de Villiers who finished on 31, a partnership that snuffed the life out of the game after some pre-lunch fireworks had raised hopes of a tense finish.

Resuming at 23 without loss on the final day, the excitement came when West Indies snatched wickets in successive overs before the break, to leave the Proteas on 131 for three.

Cruising along at 131 for one, South Africa lost two wickets in the space of four balls with no runs added.

Hashim Amla, who made 44, had strung together 57 for the second wicket with opener Alviro Petersen after captain Graeme Smith had earlier stroked 46 in a 74-run opening stand.

The right-hander seemed poised for his first half-century of the Test series when he deflected off-spinner Shane Shillingford (2-80) to backward short-leg, where he was smartly caught by substitute Darren Sammy in the penultimate over before lunch.

With the score still on 131 four balls before the interval, Petersen's 129-ball labour over 39 came to an end when he was bowled off-stump by medium pacer Dwayne Bravo after striking a four and a six.

SOUTH AFRICA 543-6 decl. (AB de Villiers 135 not out, Graeme Smith 132, Jacques Kallis 110; Shane Shillingford 3-193)

WEST INDIES 1st innings 546 (Shiv Chanderpaul 166, Brendan Nash 114; Morne Morkel 4-116)

SOUTH AFRICA 2nd innings

(overnight 23 without loss)

G Smith c wkpr Ramdin b Shillingford 46A Petersen b Bravo 39H Amla c sub (Sammy) b Shillingford 41J Kallis not out 62AB de Villiers not out 31Extras (b1, lb1, w13, nb1) 16TOTAL (3 wkts decl; 94 overs) 235

Bowling: Roach 13-3-33-0, Rampaul 2-0-7-0, Benn 28-4-61-0, Shillingford 30-5-80-2, Bravo 11-4-37-1, Nash 9-4-12-0, Dowlin 1-0-3-0.

Result: Match drawn.

Series: South Africa lead series 1-0.

Man of the Match: Shiv Chanderpaul.

Umpires: Asad Rauf, Simon Taufel

TV: Steve Davis.

Match referee: Jeff Crowe.