West Indies collapse against dominant Proteas
Quinton de Kock’s superb 96 highlighted another day of total domination for South Africa as they were bowled out for 298 before dismissing the West Indies for a meagre 149 at the close of the second day’s play in the second test at the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia, on Saturday.
De Kock was dismissed just four runs short of a second consecutive century in the series before Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi claimed two wickets apiece and Wiaan Mulder a remarkable 3-1 to leave the hosts trailing by 149 runs.
De Kock continued his glorious batting form in the morning session after resuming on 59 with South Africa on 218 for five. Having made a career-best 141* in the first test, the left-hander finally perished 10 minutes before lunch when he edged an away-swinger from medium-pacer Kyle Mayers which ricocheted off the gloves of keeper Joshua da Silva before looping gently into the hands of Shai Hope in the gully.
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De Kock’s 96 spanned just 162 deliveries in awkward batting conditions and contained an unusually low number of just eight boundaries.
Mulder (8) departed in the seventh over of the morning edging Kemar Roach to da Silva after a partnership of 36 with De Kock and another stand of 36 materialised between a determined Maharaj and De Kock for the seventh wicket before Maharaj aimed an ambitious drive to a Holder away-swinger and provided Da Silva with a straightforward catch behind. His boundaryless 12 runs came from 52 balls
Nortje (1) clipped a leg-stump half-volley from Mayers to midwicket where 19-year-old fast bowler Jayden Seales dived full-length to claim an excellent catch.
Kagiso Rabada played a glorious off-drive against Shannon Gabriel and then top-edged a hook for consecutive boundaries to reach an unbeaten 21 from only 23 balls before last man Ngidi (1) chipped Roach to midwicket to end the innings.
DISASTROUS START
The West Indies reply began in disastrous fashion when captain Kraigg Brathwaite gloved a legside delivery to keeper De Kock which the South Africans almost reluctantly reviewed after it was given not out and were surprised and delighted in equal measure when the third umpire raised his electronic finger.
Fellow opener Kieran Powell (5) was trapped lbw by a nip-backer from Ngidi, another decision that had to be confirmed by third umpire Leslie Reifer after the batsman reviewed it.
The home side crashed to 30 for three when Roston Chase (4) was smartly caught at backward short leg by Verreynne off the bowling of Nortje.
Mayers (12) was the fourth victim in the afternoon when a straightforward edge off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj was safely snapped up at slip by Aiden Markram and Shai Hope’s innings of 43 from 103 balls (4x4) was ended by a bail-trimmer from Ngidi which just flicked the top of off stump.
ASTONISHING MULDER
Jason Holder (10) was cleverly seduced into driving at a wide away-swinger by Rabada providing Keegan Petersen with a catch in the gully to reduce the innings to 115 for six.
The belated introduction of Mulder into the attack half an hour before the close of play saw him produce the astonishing figures of 4-3-1-3 with Da Silva (7) and Roach (1) caught by De Kock and Jayde Seales (0) snapped up by Verreynne at leg slip. The innings ended when a desperate Jermain Blackwood (49 from 106 balls, 6x4) slogged Maharaj (2-47) to cover.
The only ‘bad’ news for the tourists was a mild stomach upset for Ngidi which saw him spend considerable time off the field and a bout of cramp for De Kock which saw Verreynne take the keeper’s gloves for much of the afternoon session.
The home side may well rue the ill-discipline which saw them concede 44 extras, comfortably South Africa’s third-highest score behind De Kock’s 96 and captain Dean Elgar’s battling 77 on the first day.
WEST INDIES: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Shannon Gabriel
SOUTH AFRICA: Dean Elgar (capt), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Quinton de Kock (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi
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