Proteas wither under heat:
Chanderpaul, Nash hit hundreds
South Africa’s grip on the second Test against West Indies was
weakened on Sunday after Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Brendan Nash hit
hundreds.
Chanderpaul was undefeated on the top score so far of 151, and Nash
made 114, as West Indies reached 424 for four, replying to the South
Africans’ first innings total of 543 for six declared, at the close on
the third day.
The Proteas’ bowlers were hamstrung by the friendly Warner Park
pitch, and Chanderpaul and Nash filled their troughs in a stand of 220
for the fourth wicket that helped West Indies avoid the follow-on.
“We seem to feed off each other well,” said Nash of Chanderpaul.
“We’ve had a few good partnerships in the previous Tests we’ve played.”
“He (Chanderpaul) gives you the calm at the other end, like the rock
in the foundation. That instills so much confidence in you at the other
end.”
Chanderpaul got to his 22nd Test hundred from 188 balls, with a
square drive for two off Dale Steyn, the same bowler that Nash pulled
through square leg for the 12th of his 14 fours to reach his second Test
hundred from 129 deliveries.
Fortune favoured South Africa in the final session, when Nash failed
to beat A.B. de Villiers’ direct hit from backward point.
Nash cut Lonwabo Tsotsobe and set off for a non-existent run.
The ball bounced over the head of de Villiers, who leapt, grabbed the
ball, and fired a throw, which found the batsman scrambling to regain
his ground. The left-hander also struck one six from 148 balls in close
to 200 minutes of batting.
For the remainder of the day, the South Africans were kept at bay by
Chanderpaul, whose 264-ball innings spanning close to six hours includes
10 fours and one six, and Dwayne Bravo.
The Proteas appeared to be in firm command, when West Indies
continued from their bedtime total of 86 for one.
Play started about 45 minutes later than scheduled due to overnight
rain, which left parts of the outfield, if not the pitch, sodden.
South Africa’s bowlers did not give away any easy runs under partly
cloudy skies, and kept the West Indies batsmen in check. But this was an
early sign of things to come for the South Africans, as overnight
batsmen Chris Gayle, the West Indies captain, and Narsingh Deonarine
batted resolutely to complete a 93-run stand for the second wicket.
Gayle reached his 50 from 83 balls, when he flicked Tsotsobe through
backward square leg, and was lucky that he was not run-out by Morkel’s
throw from the deep to the bowler’s end, as he jogged through for a
single. Morkel gave the Proteas their only breakthrough in a stop-start
morning period, when Gayle essayed a flat-footed drive at a well-pitched
delivery, and was bowled off the inside edge for an even 50.
The South Africans restricted West Indies to 126 for two at lunch,
and Deonarine reached his 50 just before the interval from 117 balls.
After lunch, the South Africans got an early breakthrough, when Steyn
bowled Deonarine off the inside-edge for 65 to leave West Indies 151 for
three.
But the Proteas met strong resistance, when Nash joined Chanderpaul,
and they carried West Indies to tea on 236 for three.
South Africa lead the three-Test series 1-0, after they won the first
Test by 163 runs inside four days last Sunday at Queen’s Park Oval in
Trinidad.
South Africa 1st innings 543 for six declared (A.B. de Villiers 135
not out, G. Smith 132, J. Kallis 110)
BASSE-TERRE, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Monday (AFP)
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