Tag: South Africa vs West Indies

GUYANA: South Africa defeated the West Indies by 40 runs on an eventful third day of the second and final Test on Saturday to surpass Pakistan in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 standings.

The Proteas moved to the fifth spot in the WTC points table with 28 points, while Pakistan dropped to sixth with 22 points.

Set a challenging target of 263 after fast bowler Jayden Seales’ Test-best figures of six for 61 dismissed the Proteas for 246 in their second innings in the morning session, the home team lost wickets at regular intervals to be dismissed for 222.

In a cruel twist of fate, Seales was the last wicket to fall just minutes before the scheduled close of play. He fell to man of the series Keshav Maharaj who claimed his 13th wicket of the two-match duel via a short-leg catch by David Bedingham.

The win extended South Africa’s unbeaten Test series run against the West Indies from the first-ever series meeting between the two teams in 1998/99 when Shaun Pollock’s men demolished the visitors led by Brian Lara 5-0.

West Indies had defeated South Africa in a one-off encounter in Barbados in 1992, their first-ever official Test encounter which marked the Africans’ return to the Test fold after 22 years in isolation because of the country’s apartheid policy.

Maharaj’s left-arm orthodox spin earned him figures of three for 37. Kagiso Rabada shared bowling honours in the innings with three for 50, leaving the 29-year-old fast bowler one wicket away from claiming 300 victims in Tests.

“For a team that is in a transition phase we really did well to come away with this success,” said a delighted Maharaj, whose three wickets lifted him one above Hugh Tayfield’s 170 as the most successful spinner in South Africa’s Test history.

South Africa’s only period of anxiety came during a 77-run seventh-wicket partnership between Gudakesh Motie, who top-scored with a Test-best effort of 45 and wicketkeeper-batsman Joshua da Silva (27).

They lifted their team from the depths of 104 for six in mid-afternoon but the reintroduction of Maharaj brought the vital breakthroughs when he trapped Motie and da Silva lbw in successive overs.

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Bavuma then held a stunning leaping catch at mid-on off Shamar Joseph to give Rabada his 299th Test wicket before Maharaj completed the job despite a few lusty blows at the other end by Jomel Warrican (25 not out).

Wiaan Mulder took the man of the match award, the seam bowling all-rounder making the most of a rare opportunity to play Test cricket by claiming six wickets in the match and also contributing an important 34 runs in the second innings.

Mulder’s was the first wicket to fall at the start of the day when Warrican had him leg-before.

After that, it was the Seales show as he ripped through the lower order to claim the second five-wicket innings haul of his fledgling Test career.

For West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, one of Mulder’s two wickets in the innings, the fate of the match hinged on the failure of the batting line-up in the first innings.

“We did well to dismiss them for 160 but then didn’t put up enough runs in reply. That was crucial,” he emphasised.

“Our mindset today was to have intent at the crease and even though myself and the other top-order batters didn’t deliver, it was good to see the fight from Motie and others lower down the order.”

The first Test in Trinidad last week ended in a rain-affected draw.

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CENTURION: Wicketkeeper batter Quinton de Kock’s quickfire century powered South Africa to chase down a record 259 with seven balls to spare in the second T20I of the three-match series against West Indies here on Sunday.

To stay alive in the three-match series, South Africa had a mountain to climb in the second T20I here at SuperSport Park as the hosts needed to pull off the highest-ever run chase and they eventually did so with seven balls to spare at the back of a scintillating knock by de Kock.

In pursuit of 259, Proteas’ openers de Kock and Reeza Hendricks gave their side a flying start as they straight away charged on the West Indian bowlers; raising 152 runs inside 11 overs.

Wicketkeeper batter de Kock was the core aggressor of the astonishing opening partnership as he smacked a quickfire 43-ball century but fell soon after amassing his maiden ton.

The left-handed batter top-scored for South Africa with 100 in just 44 balls, laced up with nine boundaries and eight sixes.

The hapless West Indian bowlers then found a couple of cherishing moments in the run chase when they got two breakthroughs in as many consecutive overs as Rossouw (16 off four) and Hendricks fell.

Opening batter Hendricks remained the notable run-getter for South Africa in the record run chase as the right-handed batter scored a 28-ball 68, hitting 11 boundaries and two sixes.

Experienced hard-hitting batter David Miller then partnered briefly with skipper Aiden Markram before the former perished after a run-a-ball 10.

Markram then joined hands with Henrich Klaasen and sealed the deal for South Africa with an unbeaten 43-run partnership. Markram scored 38 not out off just 21 deliveries, while Klaasen remained unbeaten on 16.

For West Indies, Rovman Powell, Raymon Reifer, Odean Smith and Jason Holder struck out a batter each.

Batting first, West Indies also punished South African bowlers to pile a massive total of 258/5 in 20 overs, thanks to a 39-ball century by Johnson Charles.

Earlier, the visitors had a dismal start to their innings as Wayne Parnell dismissed Brandon King (1) for a combined total of mere two runs in the first over.

Following the early setback, Charles and Kyle Mayers scripted an astounding recovery for their side and turned the tables on South Africa with a brisk 135-run partnership for the second wicket.

The pair charged on South African bowlers and conceded only 58 deliveries before Marco Jansen finally removed Mayers, who scored 51 off 27 deliveries, hitting five boundaries and four sixes.

Jansen then struck again in the same over to send Nicholas Pooran (2) packing and West Indies, consequently, slipped to 139/3 in the 11th over.

Meanwhile, Charles continued his baton charge on the Proteas’ bowlers and soon brought up his quickfire 39-ball century.

Charles top-scored for West Indies with his scintillating 118 off just 46 deliveries with the help of 10 boundaries and 11 sixes before falling to Jansen in the 14th over.

Following Charles’ dismissal, skipper Rovman Powell (28) and Romario Shepherd (41*) made sure that the West Indies pile up a massive total on the board.

Jansen led the bowling attack for South Africa with 3/52 while Parnell followed up 2/43.

POTCHEFSTROOM: Heinrich Klaasen slammed a 54-ball century as South Africa beat the West Indies by four wickets in the third and final one-day international on Tuesday.

South Africa were in trouble at 87 for four chasing a West Indian total of 260 but Klaasen went for his shots and the home side chased down the target with 20.3 overs to spare.

The series was shared 1-1 after the first match was rained off.

“We try to play conditions and not the situation and the conditions were fantastic,” said Klaasen.

Klaasen finished with 119 not out off 61 balls, hitting 15 fours and five sixes in Potchefstroom. He shared partnerships of 55 off 38 balls with David Miller (17) and a match-clinching sixth-wicket stand of 103 off 62 deliveries with Marco Jansen (43).

“It was a good wicket and it was one of my better knocks,” said Klaasen after notching his second one-day international century and the fourth-fastest for South Africa behind two from AB de Villiers one from Mark Boucher.

De Villiers holds the world record with his 31-ball hundred against the West Indies in Johannesburg in 2014/15.

Alzarri Joseph rocked the South Africans at the start of their innings by taking the first two wickets with aggressive, short-pitched bowling.

He finished with three for 50 but the rest of the West Indian bowlers took heavy punishment.

Klaasen was particularly severe on spin bowlers Akeal Hosein, who took two for 49 in seven overs, and Yannic Cariah, who conceded 49 runs in 3.3 overs.

West Indies were bowled out for 260 after they were sent in by Aiden Markram, captaining South Africa in the absence of Temba Bavuma, who had a hamstring strain.

Brandon King struck 11 fours and a six in making 72 off 72 balls in an innings studded with elegant drives.

But the rest of the West Indian batsmen failed, apart from Nicholas Pooran, who hit 39 and Jason Holder, who made 36.

“We batted well in parts but we definitely did not perform with the ball,” said West Indies captain Shai Hope.

The series did not count for the World Cup Super League but Markram said Tuesday’s result was important ahead of two matches against the Netherlands at the end of the month which South Africa must win if they hope to qualify automatically for the World Cup.

“It’s nice to get momentum going into those games,” said Markram.

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JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s bowlers ripped through the West Indies batting as the hosts completed a 284-run win on the fourth day of the second Test at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The West Indies were bowled out for 106 after being set to make 391 to win.

South Africa won the two-match World Test Championship series 2-0.

The match was effectively won and lost in 8.1 overs leading up to lunch when the West Indies crashed to 34 for six.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada struck twice in three balls and sparked the collapse after opening batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul survived the first 10 overs, putting on 21 runs.

Rabada dismissed Brathwaite for the seventh time in successive innings when he trapped the West Indian captain leg before wicket for 18 with a ball which kept low.

Two balls later Raymon Reifer gloved a catch down the leg side to wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen.

Spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj also took two wickets each as the West Indies lost six wickets for 13 runs.

Off-spinner Harmer shared the new ball with Rabada and extracted extravagant turn, having Chanderpaul caught at second slip after the left-hander had faced 36 balls and scored only two runs.

Roston Chase, Jermaine Blackwood and Kyle Mayers all fell cheaply with South Africa’s only setback coming after Maharaj won a successful appeal for leg before wicket against Mayers in the last over before lunch.

In celebrating, the left-arm spinner collapsed and was stretchered off the field with a left ankle tendon injury.

Maharaj was taken for a scan. With all-rounder Wiaan Mulder suffering a right index finger injury, which also required a scan, South Africa were effectively down to three frontline bowlers. The West Indies batting, though, had already been wrecked.

Mulder returned after lunch but was not required to bowl.

Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph all played some aggressive strokes after lunch as the last four wickets yielded 72 runs before the match ended soon after the afternoon drinks break.

There had been concerns about Rabada’s fitness after he suffered back pain during the first innings but he showed no signs of discomfort during a hostile seven-over spell.

South Africa were bowled out for 321 earlier, with captain Temba Bavuma adding only one run to his overnight 171 before he was caught at deep square leg off Holder.

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JOHANNESBURG: Temba Bavuma said he tried to “stay in the moment” as he approached a long-awaited second Test century. But he admitted that he could not entirely quell his emotions.

The South African captain’s 171 not out put his team in a strong position on the third day of the second Test against the West Indies at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday.

A second innings total of 287 for seven gave them an overall lead of 356.

West Indian captain Kraigg Brathwaite said he still had hopes of a West Indian win. “The pitch is still a good one,” he said.

Bavuma had to wait more than seven years to reach three figures for the second time.

“I tried to stay in the moment as much as I could,” he said. “But when I got to 96 or so the crowd’s energy started picking up in anticipation. My emotions also started picking up.”

He scored three singles to get to 99. Then came a delivery from Alzarri Joseph.

“I got a ball outside my stumps and went for it.”

The shot flew off the middle of his bat over cover and raced to the boundary.

A small crowd rose to give him a standing ovation.

After reaching three figures off 192 balls, Bavuma went on to 171 off another 83 deliveries. He hit 20 fours.

“It has been a long journey,” Bavuma told journalists. “There have been a lot more downs than ups. I keep learning about myself and try to take everything in my stride, to keep my chin up and stay true to myself.

“I’ve got a lot better understanding of myself and the pressures and challenges that come with international cricket.”

Bavuma, 32, made his first hundred in his seventh Test and his eighth innings in a high-scoring draw against England at Newlands in Cape Town in January 2016.

He played in another 48 Tests and batted in 88 more innings without repeating the feat despite hitting 19 half-centuries.

South Africa’s most reliable batsman over the past two years, Bavuma was appointed captain before the first Test against the West Indies – and was out for a ‘pair’.

He came in on Friday with his team in trouble at eight for two. He accumulated a 107-ball half-century while partners struggled and succumbed against good West Indian bowling.

Bavuma said the situation helped him take his mind off personal milestones.

“I have become accustomed to situations where I have to absorb the pressure, although I haven’t made the big scores. A hundred wasn’t the target. It came along the way. It helped a lot coming in in that position.”

South Africa were 103 for five, a precarious 172 runs ahead, when Bavuma was joined by Wiaan Mulder, one of several  batsmen yet to prove themselves at top level.

Mulder made 42 in a 103-run partnership which accelerated after Bavuma reached his century. Twenty-one overs between tea and the second new ball yielded 98 runs for the loss of Mulder’s wicket.

Simon Harmer made 19 while Bavuma scored freely as the pair added 71 for the seventh wicket.

Brathwaite praised Bavuma: “He played a very good innings. I can’t fault the bowlers’ effort.”

With the pitch not posing any undue problems, South Africa were seeking a big lead, especially as there was concern about the fitness of Kagiso Rabada, one of only two fast bowlers picked by the hosts.

Rabada took two for 19 in 12 overs in the first innings, but did not bowl after tea on the second afternoon and was reportedly suffering from a sore back and perhaps a groin strain.

Bavuma did not provide any details but admitted that Rabada was in the hands of South Africa’s medical team.

“They say they’ll get him out on the field,” he said.

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JOHANNESBURG: Former captain Jason Holder lifted a struggling West Indies and frustrated South Africa with an innings of 81 not out on the second day of the second Test at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Thanks largely to Holder, the West Indies scored 251 in their first innings. They trailed by 69 runs but it looked likely to be much worse before Holder played a sparkling innings.

“The important thing for us was to stay in the game,” Holder said after inspiring a rearguard action in which the last four wickets added 135 runs.

“We’ve been in this situation before,” he told SuperSport television. “You’ve got to put trust in your partners and give them responsibility.”

South Africa faced three overs at the end of the day, scoring four runs without loss to take their overall lead to 73 runs.

Whereas none of his teammates could score freely — and none managed more than Kyle Mayers’ battling 29 off 83 balls — the tall Holder looked in command from the start of his innings.

Batting at number eight, he went in with the West Indies in big trouble at 116 for six in reply to South Africa’s 320 all out.

Holder and Joshua Da Silva (26) started the recovery by putting on 41 for the seventh wicket.

The comeback accelerated as the last two batsmen, Kemar Roach (13) and Gudakesh Motie (17) helped Holder add 89 runs for the last two wickets.

The 10th-wicket partnership of 58 with Motie was the highest of the innings.

Holder admitted he would like to bat higher in the order. “I’ve had an indifferent time of late,” he said, “but I would like to bat at number six.”

Holder hit four sixes and eight fours in a 117-ball innings and said the Wanderers pitch was “pretty good for batters”.

Gerald Coetzee, playing in his second Test, took three for 41 and fellow fast bowler Kagiso Rabada took two for 19. Rabada only sent down 12 overs and did not bowl after tea.

On a pitch expected to take spin later in the match, spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj bowled a combined 38.3 overs but could only take three wickets while conceding 140 runs.

Coetzee, 22, said he had set out to “hit the pitch” and bowl fast in the absence of the injured Anrich Nortje. “If you look at the bowling attack today I think that was my role. I enjoy hitting the pitch.”

Coetzee said his impressive start in Test cricket had been eased by being part of the South African Test squad in Australia earlier in the season, even though he did not play a match.

“I went there as a back-up bowler but to be there and learn was exactly what I needed.”

Coetzee said the Wanderers pitch provided a more even contest between bat and ball than the first Test in Centurion, “but there is something for the bowlers”.

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JOHANNESBURG: Aiden Markram helped South Africa race to a strong start before the West Indies fought back on the first day of the second Test in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie picked up three wickets as South Africa closed on 311 for seven, having slipped from their formidable teatime position of 247 for two.

Aiden Markram (96) and Tony de Zorzi (85) were mainly responsible for South Africa’s healthy position before the hosts struggled after the second interval.

“It’s not just the four runs (for the century),” Markram said. “On that pitch I should have been looking at a really big score, 160 or 170.”

Markram, who made 115 in South Africa’s 87-run win in the first Test in Centurion, was in imperious form, hitting 17 fours off 139 balls.

He described his dismissal, trying to play an uncharacteristic scoop shot against Motie, as “a brain fade”.

Markram and De Zorzi, playing in his second Test, put on 116 off 164 balls.

De Zorzi was later bowled by Motie during a South African post-tea collapse in which five wickets fell for 62 runs.

“He’s got a good head on his shoulders,” Markram said of his inexperienced teammate. “You need guys at number three who can apply themselves.”

The left-handed De Zorzi, 25, said he had tried to play as normally as possible rather than thinking about the leap from first-class to Test cricket.

“You have to do what got you here,” he said.

Jason Holder bowled a tight spell after tea and claimed the wicket of South African captain Temba Bavuma, who played no shot and was leg before wicket for 28 to a ball which cut back sharply.

De Zorzi batted fluently to be on 75 off 124 deliveries at tea but could add only another 10 runs off 31 balls before he was bowled by Motie.

He was drawn forward and beaten by a flighted delivery which spun back and hit the top of his off stump.

Motie finished the day with three for 75.

Ryan Rickelton was caught behind for 22 off Alzarri Joseph and Kyle Mayers claimed two wickets with the second new ball late in the day, bowling Wiaan Mulder and having Simon Harmer caught behind.

“The pitch quickened up later in the day and we created more chances,” said Mayers.

“It’s an open game. The late strikes brought us back into the game.”

Motie earlier had Dean Elgar caught at short fine leg for 42 off a ball which was outside the left-hander’s leg stump before removing Markram.

The ball looped off his bat and Jermaine Blackwood ran around from slip to leg slip to hold the catch.

Elgar and Markram put on 76 for the first wicket after Bavuma won the toss and chose to bat on an unusually docile Wanderers pitch.

At a venue with a tradition for pace and bounce, a dry surface gave some assistance to the spin bowlers on the first day, seemingly justifying South Africa’s decision to choose two spinners.

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CENTURION: Kagiso Rabada picked up six for 50 to bowl South Africa to an 87-run victory over West Indies in the first Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.

After bowling out the hosts for 116 in the morning, West Indies needed 247 to win but were dismissed for just 159.

The only resistance of note came from Jermaine Blackwood who made a gutsy 79 before being ninth man out.

The match hurtled to a conclusion with more than two days to spare as the fast bowlers of both teams held sway on a pitch of variable bounce.

West Indies’ Kemar Roach dominated the morning as he took five for 47 as South Africa, resuming on 49 for four, lost their last six wickets for 67 runs.

Wickets continued to fall when the West Indies batted.

Kraig Brathwaite was caught down the leg side off Rabada in the only over before lunch.

Rabada had first innings top-scorer Raymon Reifer caught behind for eight soon after lunch and Marco Jansen took two wickets in his first over.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul was caught off a top-edged pull and Roston Chase was bowled first ball.

When Gerald Coetzee had Kyle Mayers caught at first slip by Dean Elgar for nought, West Indies were 33 for five with three of the top six out for ducks.

Blackwood played aggressively as he and Joshua Da Silva added 58 for the sixth wicket before Rabada had Da Silva caught at third slip by Keegan Petersen for 17 shortly before tea.

There was more resistance from Jason Holder, who scored 18 in a 37-run stand with Blackwood before Rabada struck again, having Holder caught behind.

Blackwood alone took the fight to the South Africans, hitting eight fours and a six in an aggressive half-century that came up from just 51 balls.

Playing with the tail, his scoring rate slowed as he made his way to 79 when he became a fifth victim for Rabada, fending a lifting ball to Aiden Markram at second slip.

From the final ball of the same over, Rabada trapped Kemar Roach leg before wicket to wrap up the match.

Wicketkeeper Da Silva earlier held seven catches in the South African second innings to equal the world Test record for dismissals in an innings, joining Wasim Bari of Pakistan, Bob Taylor of England, Ian Smith of New Zealand and fellow West Indian Ridley Jacobs.

South Africa’s troubles started early when Heinrich Klaasen played a loose drive against Jason Holder and was caught behind for seven in the third over of the morning.

First innings century-maker  Markram took his overnight score of 35 to 47 before he was caught behind off Roach’s first ball of the day.

South Africa slumped to 80 for eight, with the West Indies bowlers seldom giving the batsmen a chance to play an attacking shot.

New cap Gerald Coetzee made a spirited 20 off 15 balls, including a six and four off successive balls from Gabriel before Roach wrapped up the innings.

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CHRISTCHURCH: England’s bowlers Katherine Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone took three wickets each before Danni Wyatt shone with an unbeaten 76 to blunt Pakistan by nine wickets in the 24th match of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2022, here on Thursday.

After putting Pakistan into bat first, England’s bowlers starred and bowled out the green shirts for a paltry 105 in the 42nd over.

England’s right-arm pacer Brunt and slow left-arm orthodox took three wickets each, while the skipper Heather Knight and Kate Cross made one scalp each to bundle out the opposition for a paltry total.

For Pakistan, Sidra Ameen fought hard with her 32 off 77 balls with the help of four boundaries, while Sidra Nawaz also showed resilience as she managed to score 23 before Kross castled her in the 39th over.

The rest of the Pakistan batters failed to contribute significantly and as a result, the side bowled out for a below-par total.

Set to chase a mere 106, England comfortably sealed the victory in the 20th over with a loss of one wicket. Right-handed batter Danni shone with an unbeaten 76 off 68 balls, laced with 11 boundaries. The skipper Knight, on the other hand, remained not out on 24 off 36 balls.

For Pakistan, only Diana Baig managed to make a scalp.

On the other hand, persistent rain washed out the 23rd match of the ongoing Women’s World Cup between South Africa and the West Indies.

With the match ending in no result, the proteas women have qualified for the semi-final of the mega event. Whereas, West Indies moved two points up to claim the third position in the points table.

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DUBAI: Cricket South Africa (CSA) took notice of wicket-keeper batsman Quinton De Kock’s decision to withdraw from match against West Indies on Tuesday in light of their directive to ‘take a knee’ in support of Black Lives Matter Movement (BLM). 

In a statement released after the happening, CSA said they stand against racism and will take action on the matter after receiving a report from team management.

“After considering all relevant issues, including the freedom of choice of players, the Board had made it clear it was imperative for the team to be seen taking a stand against racism, especially given SA’s history. The Board’s view was that while diversity can and should find expression in many facets of daily lives, this did not apply when it came to taking a stand against racism,” the statement read.

🇿🇦 Cricket South Africa (CSA) has noted the personal decision by South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock not to “take the knee” ahead of Tuesday’s game against the West Indies.

➡️ Full statement: https://t.co/cmEiA9JZy7 pic.twitter.com/4vOqkXz0DX

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 26, 2021

“Concerns were raised that the different postures taken by team members in support of the BLM initiative created an unintended perception of disparity or lack of support for the initiative,

“After considering all relevant issues, including the position of the players, the Board felt that it was imperative for the team to be seen taking a united and consistent stand against racism, especially given SA’s history,” CSA said.

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