Friday, September 25, 2009

South Africa v West Indies - Second Test


Centurion Park

SAF: BA Richards, EJ Barlow, DJ Cullinan, RG Pollock, *WJ Cronje, +DT Lindsay, MJ Procter, PM Pollock, NBF Mann, AA Donald, NAT Adcock.
WI: CC Hunte, RC Fredericks, RB Kanhai, IVA Richards, CH Lloyd, *GStA Sobers, +PJL Dujon, MA Holding, CEL Ambrose, LR Gibbs, CA Walsh.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: CJ Egar (AUS) & HD Bird (ENG)
Toss: South Africa

There were changes to both sides coming into the second Test, South Africa opting for the extra bowler and bringing in Peter Pollock in place of Jonty Rhodes, whilst West Indies welcomed back the fit again Rohan Kanhai but lost both Des Haynes and Malcolm Marshall to injury. Garry Sobers' incorrect call at the toss allowed South Africa to have first use of a very flat strip at Centurion Park, and a second successive century from Graeme Pollock helped give the hosts the early advantage before a clutch of late wickets on day one brought West Indies right back into the game.

However, from an overnight score of 311-7 an inspired Denis Lindsay propelled the total beyond 500 as the last three wickets put on an incredible 200 runs. Lindsay blitzed seventeen fours and five sixes in a career high innings of 171*, adding 71 for the eighth wicket with Mann and a national record 85 for the last wicket with an unusually stubborn Adcock, whose 12 runs received almost as much applause as Lindsay's memorable century.


Denis Lindsay's second day blitz gave
South Africa early control of the Test


None of West Indies' bowlers impressed, and just as in the first Test the batsmen now needed to bail the team out of trouble. The top order were not able to impose themselves though, save for Kanhai's 72, and in the face of some excellent pace bowling from Donald and Adcock, the innings had reached a crossroads at 174-5 when Jeffrey Dujon joined Garry Sobers for what turned out to be perhaps the pivotal partnership in the match.

Together the pair piled on 202 runs, a partnership that broke their own national record for the sixth wicket, Garry Sobers saving the follow-on with a straight six off Donald as he emulated Graeme Pollock by making his way to his second century of the series. It was Dujon's innings that really caught the imagination though, full of sweetly timed drives and cuts, and although West Indies' final total of 405 still gave South Africa a 106 run lead, the draw was now seen as the favoured result.


Dujon's graceful century helped keep West Indies in the game

South Africa batted with purpose for the remainder of day four though, and led by Barlow's third century in four Tests since his recall and an undefeated 74 from the inevitable Pollock, a total of 242-2 gave Cronje the confidence to declare shortly before the close with a lead of 348, a move that gave both sides the possibility of victory on the final day. West Indies set off with attacking intent, but both Fredericks and Hunte were back in the pavilion with 58 on the board when Viv Richards joined Rohan Kanhai at the crease. Richards has endured a very poor run of form of late but on this day he was back to his very best, and with Kanhai matching him virtually stroke for stroke the West Indies took control of the chase.

Cronje rotated his bowlers to no avail, and what had appeared to be an unlikely West Indian victory at the start of the day was now looking like a reality. Richards raised his first century in ten Tests off just 107 balls, Kanhai followed suit soon after, and the pair had added 221 runs at almost a run a ball by the time Richards was finally dismissed. 70 runs were now needed to win with 32 overs still remaining, and although the wickets of Kanhai and Lloyd wobbled the final stages of the chase, Sobers and Dujon saw West Indies through to a famous victory with seven overs and five wickets to spare.


Viv Richards was simply awesome on the final day

South Africa had contrived to lose the game after scoring over 500 runs in their first innings and losing just twelve wickets in the match, and questions will now have to be asked before the teams reconvene in Cape Town for the third Test. Given his record up to this point it would be unfair to say that Hansie Cronje now faces a crisis of captaincy, but all eyes will now be firmly trained on Newlands as South Africa attempt to bounce back from what was a truly devastating defeat.

Score Summary
SAF 1st Inns 511 (Lindsay 171*, RG Pollock 124, BA Richards 46)
WI 1st Inns 405 (Dujon 111, Sobers 110, Kanhai 72; Donald 5-99)
SAF 2nd Inns 242-2 dec. (Barlow 121*, RG Pollock 74*)
WI 2nd Inns 349-5 (Kanhai 130, IVA Richards 121)

WEST INDIES WON BY 5 WICKETS

1st & 2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Close of play
Day 1 - South Africa 1st innings 311-7 (Lindsay 35*; 90 ov)
Day 2 - West Indies 1st innings 89-1 (Fredericks 31*, Kanhai 55*; 27 ov)
Day 3 - West Indies 1st innings 393-7 (Dujon 111*, Ambrose 2*; 109 ov)
Day 4 - West Indies 2nd innings 9-0 (Hunte 4*, Fredericks 5*; 3 ov)
Day 5 - West Indies 2nd innings 349-5 (85.2 ov) - end of match

Notes
▪ Lindsay passed 2000 career runs
▪ Lindsay and Adcock's partnership of 85 is the highest tenth wicket stand for South Africa
▪ Sobers and Dujon's partnership of 202 is the highest sixth wicket stand for West Indies
▪ West Indies' total of 349-5 is the third highest ever made to win a Test in the fourth innings
▪ South Africa become just the second side to lose a Test after scoring over 500 runs in an innings


Man of the Match: IVA Richards

Friday, September 18, 2009

South Africa v West Indies - First Test


St George's Park, Port Elizabeth

SAF: BA Richards, EJ Barlow, DJ Cullinan, RG Pollock, *WJ Cronje, JN Rhodes, +DT Lindsay, MJ Procter, NBF Mann, AA Donald, NAT Adcock.
WI: CC Hunte, DL Haynes, IVA Richards, EdeC Weekes, CH Lloyd, *GStA Sobers, +PJL Dujon, MD Marshall, MA Holding, LR Gibbs, CA Walsh.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: CJ Egar (AUS) & HD Bird (ENG)
Toss: West Indies

South Africa have never lost an ATG Test in Port Elizabeth, winning four and drawing one of the five previous matches staged at St George's Park, and West Indies' struggle to 187-4 on the first day did little to threaten the Proteas' unbeaten record. The tourists had been forced to rejig their batting order at the last minute when a back spasm forced Rohan Kanhai to withdraw from the side, and with stroke play very difficult on a slow, low wicket, frustration got the better of most of the top order. Viv Richards was one such victim, caught for 48 by a tumbling Donald on the boundary as he miscued a hook off Adcock, who bowled an excellent line to claim the first three wickets to fall.


Mann showed just why he has been keeping
Hugh Tayfield out of the South African side

Sobers inspired a lower order revival of sorts, compiling a disciplined 80 and adding 96 for the sixth wicket with Dujon, but the spin of Tufty Mann kept West Indies' scoring firmly in check and the innings ground to a halt on the second afternoon, Mann going on to claim figures of 5-53 off 35 overs, his best ever figures in ATG cricket. The tourists' total of 323 was at least respectable, but after a watchful period on the second evening South Africa's batsmen proceeded to cut it down to size over the course of the third day.

Graeme Pollock joined Barry Richards at the crease on the third morning with the scoreboard reading 67-2, and the pair would not be parted until well after tea as the runs came with more ease on a pitch that had hardened significantly after three days baking under a cloudless sky. Richards dominated the partnership, bringing up his first century in eleven Tests, and when he was finally out for 160 he had added 191 with Pollock and had taken his team to within 100 runs of West Indies' total. Cronje's poor season continued when Sobers cleaned him up for just 7, but a skittish innings from Rhodes gave Pollock further support, and a 55 run stand for the ninth wicket with Donald allowed Pollock to complete his fourth ATG double century, a nine hour effort that had enabled his team to compile a formidable total of 501.


Richards and Pollock batted superbly

Marshall managed to pick up five wickets to give West Indies some joy, but a deficit of 178 now put the tourists firmly behind the eight ball. Runs came quickly as the tourists began their second innings, but by stumps on day four they had stuttered somewhat to 157-4, and when Lloyd was trapped lbw by Procter early on a humid final morning, West Indies were still 21 behind with only five wickets in hand. Sobers was still at the wicket though, and with a captain's innings the order of the day he was in no mood to disappoint.

Successive fifty partnerships with Dujon (22) and Marshall (24) took West Indies into the lead and beyond, and whilst South Africa's bowlers, Adcock apart, were admittedly not bowling all that well, Sobers' performance under pressure was one of the best. He brought up his hundred with three successive boundaries off Barlow, and a stand of 91 with Gibbs (25) for the ninth wicket took West Indies to safety. Sobers was last out for a career best 170, and whilst both sides will probably be content with the draw, South Africa were undeniably in a winning position on the final morning. Cronje's failure to bowl Mann until after tea on the final day resulted in criticism in the press and this, coupled with his own lack of form, presents South Africa's skipper with the first crisis of his captaincy career going into the second Test.


Garry Sobers played the ultimate
captain's innings on the final day


Score Summary
WI 1st Inns 323 (Sobers 80, IVA Richards 48, Hunte 46, Lloyd 41; Mann 5-53)
SAF 1st Inns 501 (Pollock 207, BA Richards 160, Rhodes 43; Marshall 5-120)
WI 2nd Inns 408 (Sobers 170, Weekes 57, Haynes 41)
SAF 2nd Inns 8-0

MATCH DRAWN


1st & 2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Close of play

Day 1 - West Indies 1st innings 187-4 (Lloyd 41*, Sobers 13*; 90 ov)
Day 2 - South Africa 1st innings 55-1 (BA Richards 31*, Cullinan 24*; 30 ov)
Day 3 - South Africa 1st innings 349-4 (Pollock 109*, Rhodes 39*; 120 ov)
Day 4 - West Indies 2nd innings 157-4 (Lloyd 18*, Sobers 8*; 47 ov)
Day 5 - South Africa 2nd innings 8-0 (2 ov) - end of match

Notes
▪ Pollock's innings (545 minutes) is the longest in South Africa's history and the highest for South Africa against West Indies
▪ Richards and Pollock's stand of 191 is the highest third wicket partnership made against West Indies
▪ Alan Donald has now been involved in three consecutive fifty run stands for South Africa's ninth wicket


Man of the Match: GStA Sobers

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

South Africa v West Indies - Tour Match

Zimbabwe v West Indians
Bulawayo Athletic Club
4 Day Game
Umpires: ID Robinson & RB Tiffin
Toss: West Indians

ZIM: GW Flower, GJ Rennie, ADR Campbell, *DL Houghton, +A Flower, NC Johnson, GJ Whittall, HH Streak, BC Strang, AJ Traicos, HK Olonga.
WI: CC Hunte, RC Fredericks, RB Kanhai, IVA Richards, CH Lloyd, *GStA Sobers, +PJL Dujon, MD Marshall, MA Holding, LR Gibbs, CA Walsh.


West Indies stopped off in Bulawayo prior to their Test series in South Africa, and a comfortable victory over Zimbabwe should mean that Garry Sobers' tourists are able to hit the ground running against the Proteas. Sobers won the toss and elected to bat under clear skies, and an assured 60 from Conrad Hunte got the innings off to a good start and enabled him to win his personal battle with Roy Fredericks for the right to partner Des Haynes in the Tests.

The middle order then flourished against Zimbabwe's toiling attack; Kanhai contributed a perky 54 to help take the score to 172-3, then Lloyd joined Richards in a stand that completely broke the Zimbabweans' resolve. The partnership reached exactly 200 come stumps on day one, and 84 further runs were added on the second morning as both batsmen powered their way to impressive centuries. Lloyd was first to go for 122, but Richards progressed to a mighty 191 before Brian Strang finally clung on to a catch off Traicos, and after a poor run of form in Season V, it looks as though it could be a return to normal service for Richards in Season VI.

The master had a blast in Bulawayo

Sobers eventually declared at lunch on the second day, and a total of 518-6 was to prove far beyond the reach of Zimbabwe's batsmen. Their first innings folded for just 135, Alistair Campbell top scoring with 21 as Holding led the way for the tourists with 4-31, and on the third day it was Malcolm Marshall who did the damage at the top of the order as Zimbabwe followed on some 383 runs behind. Andy Flower responded with a defiant 57, but Walsh cut through the tail and the curtain finally fell on Zimbabwe's second innings early on the final morning, a total of 222 handing West Indies a comfortable innings victory.

The stage is now set for what has become a highly anticipated Test series, and battle will commence in Port Elizabeth with the number one world ranking the prize for the victors.

Flower's power was not enough for Zimbabwe

Score Summary
WI 1st Inns 518-6 dec. (Richards 191, Lloyd 122, Hunte 60, Kanhai 54)
ZIM 1st Inns 135 (Holding 4-31)
ZIM 2nd Inns 222 (A Flower 57; Walsh 4-44, Marshall 4-45)

WEST INDIANS WON BY AN INNINGS & 161 RUNS

1st & 2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Close of Play

Day 1 - West Indians 1st innings 372-3 (Richards 128*, Lloyd 85*; 91 ov)
Day 2 -
Zimbabwe 1st innings 128-9 (Strang 18*, Olonga 2*; 52 ov)
Day 3 -
Zimbabwe 2nd innings 214-8 (Strang 16*, Traicos 23*; 71 ov)
Day 4 -
Zimbabwe 2nd innings 222 (76.1 ov) - end of match

Saturday, September 5, 2009

South Africa v West Indies - Series Preview



Hansie Cronje's captaincy receives its sternest test yet in the shape of the visiting West Indies, and if the hosts can engineer a series victory they would replace Garry Sobers' side at the top of the ATG rankings. Such a result would have to be hard earned though, for despite Cronje's record of eight wins and just one defeat in his twelve matches as skipper, West Indies have won their last five series and they enter this tour as favourites to extend that run.

The tourists' squad contains few surprises, with the omission of the out of form Greenidge constituting the only major change. Conrad Hunte and Roy Fredericks will fight for the right to partner Des Haynes in the Tests, and expectations are high ahead of what should be an extremely competitive series.

Current form (most recent result first)
South Africa DWWWW
West Indies
LWWWW


Previous series result
West Indies 3 South Africa 1 (Season IV, 5 Tests)


Can Hansie Cronje lead his team to the top?

West Indies Squad
GStA Sobers (c), CH Lloyd (v/c), CEL Ambrose, PJL Dujon, RC Fredericks, J Garner, LR Gibbs, DL Haynes, MA Holding, CC Hunte, RB Kanhai, MD Marshall, DL Murray, IVA Richards, CA Walsh, EdeC Weekes.

Itinerary
- Tour Match v Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)
- 1st TEST (Port Elizabeth)
- 2nd TEST (Centurion)
- Tour Match v South African Invitation XI (Johannesburg)
- 3rd TEST (Cape Town)
- 4th TEST (Durban)

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