South Africa v West Indies - Series Summary

WEST INDIES WON THE SERIES 2-1

Hansie Cronje and Garry Sobers are, statistically speaking, ATG cricket's two most successful captains, but by the end of the series their fortunes and futures could hardly be more different. Sobers enjoyed his most successful series ever with the bat and West Indies have now won six successive series under his stewardship, maintaining their position as the number one team in the world, whilst Cronje now faces a most uncertain future following his first series defeat as skipper.

Regardless of the captaincy Cronje's alarming lack of form as a batsman must put his place in the side in severe jeopardy - he has scored just 332 runs at an average of 17.47 in 11 Tests this season - and his ill-fated declaration in the second Test allowed West Indies to snatch a last day victory that had seemed out of the question over the course of the first four days. With the spoils shared on two poor wickets in the final two Tests and South Africa having had the better of a drawn first Test, West Indies' successful chase of 349 at Centurion was the pivotal point of the series, and the knives were out for Cronje in many quarters from that moment on.

Could it be the end for Hansie Cronje?

Cronje's poor form was in stark contrast to that shown by Graeme Pollock and Barry Richards, with Richards' outrageous 171 in Cape Town one of the greatest innings in ATG history. Barlow and Lindsay gave solid support, as did Dudley Nourse on recall in the final Test, and despite Cronje and Cullinan's lack of production the South African batting unit far outperformed its West Indian counterpart. Sobers' tally of 603 runs was almost double the next highest contribution from within the tourists' ranks - 308 runs from Viv Richards - and with South Africa's bowlers arguably besting the West Indians as well, the series defeat was mystifying to the majority of the home fans.

Nonetheless, the West Indian juggernaut marches on, and it travels almost immediately to New Zealand, who fought gamely in the Caribbean last season despite eventually losing the series 4-1. South Africa do not now take the field until next season, and the Proteas' selectors will consequently have plenty of time to mull over the fate of Cronje and one or two others in the South African ranks.

Series averages
(click to enlarge)

Players of the Series: BA Richards & GStA Sobers

South Africa v West Indies - Fourth Test

Kingsmead, Durban

SAF: BA Richards, EJ Barlow, B Mitchell, RG Pollock, AD Nourse, *WJ Cronje, +DT Lindsay, PM Pollock, HJ Tayfield, NBF Mann, NAT Adcock.
WI: CC Hunte, DL Haynes, RB Kanhai, IVA Richards, CH Lloyd, *GStA Sobers, +PJL Dujon, MD Marshall, MA Holding, LR Gibbs, CA Walsh.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: S Kishen (IND) & BL Aldridge (NZL)
Toss: West Indies

South Africa made four changes to the side which lost in Cape Town, Cullinan, Procter and Donald all receiving the axe, whilst West Indies recalled Gibbs and the fit again Marshall at the expense of Ambrose and Garner. Sobers elected to take first use of what looked to be a poor pitch upon winning the toss, and it took a fourth wicket partnership of 95 between Kanhai and Lloyd to steady the innings after Adcock and Peter Pollock had reduced the score to 36-3. Lloyd peppered the boundary on the way to his first fifty of the series but both he and Kanhai fell in quick succession in the afternoon, and despite yet another fifty partnership between Sobers and Dujon, their fifth of the series, the scoreboard read 203-8 shortly after tea and South Africa were very much on top. Sobers was still there though, and he now threw caution to the wind as he flayed the Proteas' attack all around Kingsmead.

Garry Sobers has been in unstoppable
form with the bat in this series

77 runs were added for the last two wickets, with Gibbs and Walsh contributing just 4 between them as Sobers audaciously butchered his way to his third century of the series. He was greeted with a standing ovation when West Indies were finally bowled out for 282, and his undefeated 129 will go down as one of the great counter-attacking innings in the ATG annals. Indeed, Sobers' efforts were put into even clearer perspective on an incredible second day that saw seventeen wickets tumble as oppressively humid conditions made batting even more difficult than it had been on day one.

South Africa did well to lose just two wickets in the morning session, but from 100-2 the innings collapsed like a house of cards in the afternoon, and by tea they had been bowled out for a sorry 158 and a first innings deficit of 124. Barry Richards made a hard earned fifty, a very different innings to the one he played in Cape Town, but there was precious little else to speak of as excessive movement both in the air and off the pitch allowed West Indies' pace attack to run riot. However, what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, and in the evening session the tourists' batting completely fell apart as the ball continued to dart about alarmingly.

Eddie Barlow swung the ball prodigiously on the second evening

Hunte and Haynes began reasonably confidently, but after a half hour stoppage for rain Eddie Barlow knocked over the top four as a career best bowling performance helped reduce West Indies to 104-7 by the time stumps were drawn. With only two days played a result was now a certainty, but West Indies remained favourites despite their second innings collapse; a last wicket stand of 21 between Gibbs and Walsh helped extend the score to 144, and South Africa now needed 269 to claim a consolation victory and avoid being blanked in the series. It would be a very tough target in the context of the match, but overhead conditions were far more batsman friendly on day three, and another fifty from Barry Richards got the chase off to a good start.

Graeme Pollock also looked in good touch, but on 18 he was trapped lbw by Gibbs on the stroke of tea, and at 88-3 the innings hung in the balance. The recalled pairing of Mitchell and Nourse dug in though, and a stand of 92 gave the hosts renewed hope. Batting was now far easier than it had been on the first two days, and the target was reduced to double digits as South Africa inched their way onwards. Mitchell finally went for 53, and with the hopelessly out of form Cronje also departing before the close for just 9, South Africa entered day four on 203-5, still 66 runs short of the winning post. Nourse was looking immovable though, and with Peter Pollock contributing a very useful 22 from number eight he was able to shepherd his side to victory shortly before lunch, finishing undefeated on 91 after almost five hours at the crease. South African celebrations were muted though with the series already having gone to West Indies, and Garry Sobers' team continue to reign supreme as the number one side in the ATG world.

Hansie Cronje's poor form with the bat must
now put his place in the side in jeopardy

Score Summary
WI 1st Inns 282 (Sobers 129*, Lloyd 56, Kanhai 43)
SAF 1st Inns 158 (BA Richards 54)
WI 2nd Inns 144 (Barlow 4-37)
SAF 2nd Inns 272-7 (Nourse 91*, Mitchell 53, BA Richards 50)

SOUTH AFRICA WON BY 3 WICKETS

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

Close of play
Day 1 - South Africa 1st innings 24-0 (BA Richards 12*, Barlow 12*; 10 ov)
Day 2 - West Indies 2nd innings 104-7 (Dujon 4*; 36 ov)
Day 3 - South Africa 2nd innings 203-5 (Nourse 56*, Lindsay 1*; 65 ov)
Day 4 - South Africa 2nd innings 272-7 (90.1 ov) - end of match

Notes
▪ Sobers made 129 of the last 151 runs of West Indies' first innings
▪ West Indies have now won six successive series

Man of the Match: AD Nourse

South Africa v West Indies - Third Test

Newlands, Cape Town

SAF: BA Richards, EJ Barlow, DJ Cullinan, RG Pollock, *WJ Cronje, +JHB Waite, MJ Procter, HJ Tayfield, NBF Mann, AA Donald, NAT Adcock.
WI: CC Hunte, DL Haynes, RB Kanhai, IVA Richards, CH Lloyd, *GStA Sobers, +PJL Dujon, MA Holding, CEL Ambrose, J Garner, CA Walsh.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: S Kishen (IND) & BL Aldridge (NZL)
Toss: South Africa

Slight water damage made it difficult to read the Newlands pitch ahead of the third Test, and after a rocket start from Barry Richards had taken South Africa to a healthy looking 43-0, Holding and the recalled Garner proceeded to engineer the most catastrophic of collapses, five wickets falling for just six runs in the space of 21 deliveries to leave the hosts reeling at 49-5.

Cullinan, Pollock, Cronje and Waite (in for the injured Lindsay) all departed for ducks, but Richards held firm and continued to bat as if he were playing in an entirely different match. He raised a stunning century off exactly 100 balls, made out of a total of 132-6, and by the time he was ninth out he had blitzed his way to 171, with Procter (22) and the increasingly doughty Donald, who contributed 19 to a ninth wicket stand of 73, the only other players to make it into double figures.

Barry Richards was dominance
personified in South Africa's first innings

Rarely has one player dominated proceedings to such an extent, but the fact was that South Africa had been bowled out inside a day for a wholly inadequate 233. However, with Neil Adcock able to extract some excessive lift bowling from the Wynberg End, West Indies slumped to 68-4 early on the second morning and the game was back on an even keel. Haynes played and missed with great frequency but he hung on, and like Barry Richards on the first day he held the innings together, albeit in a completely different style.

Sobers contributed a subdued 22 before being gated by Mann, and with the spinners turning the screw in the afternoon the tourists looked like conceding a first innings lead. Haynes was eventually seventh out for a stoic five hour century, and when Holding departed for a useful 25 the scoreboard read 204-9 and West Indies still trailed by 29. Numbers ten and eleven, Garner and Walsh, were not expected to hold up proceedings for much longer, but they somehow managed to push their side into the lead, and by the time Garner became the deserving Adcock's fifth victim in the first over of day three, both had reached their highest ever ATG scores and had set a new West Indian record for the tenth wicket in the process.

Courtney Walsh starred with the bat, and later
with the ball, as West Indies took control of the Test

A total of 279 had given the tourists a lead of 46, and South African wickets fell at regular intervals during the remainder of day three as the hosts failed to establish a solid foothold. Barlow's 81 was the only innings of substance, and by the time bad light brought about an early close South Africa had stumbled their way to a score of 199-5 and a lead of 153. Runs remained hard to come by on the fourth morning, and when an outrageous burst of three wickets in four balls from Courtney Walsh closed the innings on 261, West Indies were left with a target of 216 for the win.

Hunte and Kanhai fell early, but Haynes was again proving resolute and Donald totally lost his rag as Viv Richards smeared his way to a very streaky half century. The tourists seemed set, but the spin of Tayfield and Mann gave South Africa a little more control, and the wickets of Haynes and Richards, combined with Procter's run out of Lloyd, reduced the score to 129-5 and the hosts were back in with a chance. Sobers and Dujon put up a wall though, and a partnership of 66 had taken West Indies to within 21 of victory when Tayfield finally prised out Dujon for 19 on the final morning. Holding followed soon after but Sobers remained unbowed, and it was fitting that West Indies' skipper should hit the winning runs as the tourists secured victory in what had been a truly incredible Test match. West Indies' three wicket win also handed them the series, and it would not be surprising if South Africa's selectors made some changes ahead of the final Test in Durban.

Garry Sobers has now led his side
to six successive series victories

Score Summary
SAF 1st Inns 233 (BA Richards 171; Holding 4-61)
WI 1st Inns 279 (Haynes 106, Garner 41; Adcock 5-44)
SAF 2nd Inns 261 (Barlow 81; Walsh 5-63)
WI 2nd Inns 216-7 (Sobers 64*, IVA Richards 52, Haynes 45)

WEST INDIES WON BY 3 WICKETS

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

Close of play
Day 1 - West Indies 1st innings 67-2 (Haynes 30*, IVA Richards 4*; 27 ov)
Day 2 - West Indies 1st innings 274-9 (Garner 41*, Walsh 29*; 116 ov)
Day 3 - South Africa 2nd innings 199-5 (Waite 26*, Procter 2*; 75.4 ov)
Day 4 - West Indies 2nd innings 166-5 (Sobers 29*, Dujon 8*; 59 ov)
Day 5 - West Indies 2nd innings 216-7 (86.4 ov) - end of match

Notes
▪ Barry Richards scored a record 73.39% of his side's runs in the first innings
▪ Holding passed 100 career wickets
▪ Garner and Walsh's partnership of 75 is the highest tenth wicket stand for West Indies
▪ Walsh became the sixth player, and first West Indian, to take three wickets in a single over

Man of the Match: BA Richards

South Africa v West Indies - Tour Match

South African Invitation XI v West Indians
Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
3 Day Game
Umpires: FW Grey & AG Laver
Toss: West Indians

SAI XI: DJ McGlew, G Kirsten, *A Bacher, AW Nourse, RA McLean, BL Irvine, +WW Wade, CR Matthews, RO Schwarz, PHJ Trimborn, BN Schultz.
WI: CC Hunte, DL Haynes, RB Kanhai, IVA Richards, CH Lloyd, *GStA Sobers, +PJL Dujon, MA Holding, J Garner, CEL Ambrose, CA Walsh.

Following their dramatic victory in the second Test, West Indies' tour itinerary took them to Johannesburg for a three day engagement with a South African Invitation XI, and the tourists' batsmen picked up from where they left off in Centurion, dishing out some tremendous punishment on what was another good pitch for batting.

Conrad Hunte took full advantage of
the benign conditions at The Wanderers

Conrad Hunte dominated proceedings on the first day, sharing in consecutive hundred partnerships with Haynes, Kanhai and Richards as the total approached the 400 mark with only two wickets down. Hunte eventually fell late in the day having completed a marvellous double century, and on the second morning Richards and Sobers went berserk, piling on 123 runs in the first hour and leaving Ali Bacher's bowlers with no place to hide. Sobers hit Pat Trimborn to the boundary five times in one over, and then spanked Brett Schultz for three consecutive sixes before Richards holed out later in the same over as he attempted to reach his hundred in the grand manner.

Sobers declared upon Richards' dismissal, but in the face of a 502 run mountain the South Africans responded well, with the adhesive McGlew piloting the score to 192-3 come stumps on day two, having earlier shared in an attractive 112 run stand for the second wicket with Bacher, who made 67. McGlew completed a richly deserved century on the final morning, but a burst of 3-5 in nine balls from Walsh promptly derailed the innings and the hosts lost their last seven wickets for just 39 as Garner joined in the demolition job.

Courtney Walsh sparked into life on the final morning

A total of 270 allowed Sobers to enforce the follow-on, and with McGlew departing for a second ball duck this time round the South Africans were now very much up against it. Kirsten and Bacher managed to steady the ship however, and a tea time score of 72-2 suggested that the draw was still very much on the cards. Sobers got to work with his spin in the final session though, and in the end it was left to Matthews and Schultz to see out the final over to secure a hard earned draw. West Indies' bowlers had captured an incredible sixteen wickets on the final day, and although it wasn't quite enough to secure victory in the end, the tourists will now enter the third Test with all departments of the team seemingly firing on all cylinders.

Score Summary
WI 1st Inns 502-5 dec. (Hunte 236, Richards 99, Sobers 62*, Kanhai 53, Haynes 40)
SAI XI 1st Inns 270 (McGlew 116, Bacher 67, McLean 45; Walsh 5-75)
SAI XI 2nd Inns 161-9 (Kirsten 48; Sobers 4-34)

MATCH DRAWN

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

Close of Play

Day 1 - West Indians 1st innings 379-4 (Richards 38*, Sobers 0*; 89 ov)
Day 2 - SA Invitation XI 1st innings 192-3 (McGlew 86*, McLean 22*; 60 ov)
Day 3 - SA Invitation XI 2nd innings 161-9 (57 ov) - end of match

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

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

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

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)

South Africa v New Zealand - Series Summary

SOUTH AFRICA WON THE SERIES 2-0
As expected, South Africa ran out comfortable victors over New Zealand, and their 2-0 series victory lifts them to second place in the world rankings. When Hansie Cronje took over as skipper for the series against Pakistan last season, South Africa were languishing in fifth, but a run of eight victories and only one defeat in twelve Tests under his leadership has transformed the side into serious challengers for West Indies' number one spot. Cronje's personal form during this time has fallen away quite alarmingly, but in this series he was more than covered by the performances of the rest of the Proteas' batting line-up. Eddie Barlow excelled on recall after time was finally called on Trevor Goddard's run in the side, but the real batting star was Graeme Pollock, who played an innings for the ages in the first Test and whose average of 168 is the highest ever recorded in an ATG series.

Of the South African attack, only Allan Donald disappointed as Neil Adcock and Mike Procter both enjoyed a particularly good series, with Glenn Turner being just about the only New Zealand batsman able to stand up to the pace barrage on a consistent basis. Skipper John Reid bookended the series with a couple of fighting fifties, and although Martin Donnelly ran up a century in the first Test he contributed little else thereafter. New Zealand's bowling was their real weakness however; Richard Hadlee was in poor form, despite his series-leading 14 wickets, and no-one was able to average under 35 as South Africa were allowed to run up substantial first innings totals in each of the three Tests.

Even allowing for the loss of Chris Cairns through injury before the series had begun, the manner of New Zealand's defeat was a huge disappointment after the spirit they had shown in the Caribbean, and they will be desperate to have Cairns fit and ready to face West Indies when they make the trip to New Zealand later this season. Before then, the West Indies travel to South Africa for a series that will put Hansie Cronje's captaincy to the ultimate test, but next up in the ATG world we head down under for Australia's defence of the Ashes against an England side who have never held the urn in ATG competition. Let battle commence!

Series averages
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Players of the Series: RG Pollock & GM Turner

South Africa v New Zealand - Third Test

Newlands, Cape Town

South Africa: BA Richards, EJ Barlow, *WJ Cronje, RG Pollock, DJ Cullinan, JN Rhodes, +DT Lindsay, MJ Procter, NBF Mann, AA Donald, NAT Adcock.
New Zealand: GM Turner, B Sutcliffe, GP Howarth, MD Crowe, MP Donnelly, *JR Reid, +AC Parore, RJ Hadlee, DN Patel, BR Taylor, SL Boock.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: BC Cooray (SL) & LH Barker (WI)
Toss: South Africa

With the series already lost, New Zealand would be fighting for pride alone in Cape Town, and when skipper John Reid uprooted Graeme Pollock's middle stump with a beautiful outswinger shortly after tea on the first day, South Africa had been reduced to 210-6 and Reid's team had established a firm foothold in the game. The pitch at Newlands was favouring the batsmen at this stage now that a little early moisture had dried up, and one more wicket would have exposed South Africa's tail and given the tourists every chance of pressing home their advantage. However, by the afternoon session on day two, the Proteas' last four wickets had added 180 further runs to take the hosts close to 400 to snatch away all New Zealand's momentum and place the visitors firmly behind the eight ball once again.

Denis Lindsay led the late order onslaught, smashing nine fours and four sixes in his 84, then Donald and Adcock thoroughly enjoyed themselves in adding 44 for the last wicket, with Donald racking up a career high 41* in the process. Howarth and Crowe looked confident in reply for New Zealand after the early loss of both openers, but just as in the last Test a clatter of middle order wickets pulled the rug from under the Kiwis' feet, and at 120-5 the tourists' ship looked set to plunge beneath the surface once again.

If there was ever a time for a captain's innings it was now, and John Reid was not about to disappoint the smattering of New Zealanders in the crowd who had made the trip to Cape Town. Reid had bowled superbly in South Africa's innings, and with Richard Hadlee as a capable ally he oversaw the addition of a national record 134 runs for the seventh wicket as New Zealand defiantly clawed their way back into the game. Reid was dropped twice down the leg side by Lindsay early on the third day, firstly on 29 and then again on 45, and by the time Hadlee was bowled for 71 with the new ball by Donald, the scoreboard read 284-7 and the tourists were still hanging on to their hosts' coat tails.

Reid eventually perished for a fine 93 in the first over after tea on day three, and New Zealand's final total of 344 had got them to within fifty runs of the South Africans. Richards and Barlow re-established South Africa's momentum with a chanceless century opening stand though, and despite having already secured the series, Cronje would have undoubtedly been looking to declare at some stage on day four so that he could press for what would be a fifth consecutive Test victory. However, rain severely curtailed play on the fourth day, and although South Africa's batsmen continued to dominate proceedings, the lead was not extended enough to allow the declaration. Richards departed for 75 before Barlow completed his second hundred in two Tests since his recall, and Pollock rounded off his wonderful series with an undefeated 64 before Cronje - who had earlier registered his fourth consecutive single digit score - declared on South Africa's overnight total of 269-3.

New Zealand thus required 316 on the final day for a consolation victory, but more rain on the final morning and then again in the evening session put paid to any notions of a successful run chase. With mere survival the only option, the Kiwis had little trouble in staving off the South African bowlers in what was a disappointing finish to the series, Crowe's 83 the highlight as the tourists plodded their way to 194-4 by the time stumps, and the match, were drawn. South Africa's 2-0 series win moves them up to second place in the world rankings nonetheless, and the second half of the South African summer plays host to the West Indies in what should be a titanic battle for the number one spot in the ATG world.

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
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Scores
SAF 1st Inns 390 (Lindsay 84, Cullinan 55, Richards 43, Pollock 42, Donald 41*; Hadlee 4-108)
NZL 1st Inns 344 (Reid 93, Hadlee 71, Howarth 51, Crowe 44)
SAF 2nd Inns 269-3 dec. (Barlow 117, Richards 75, Pollock 64*)
NZL 2nd Inns 194-4 (Crowe 83, Turner 43)

MATCH DRAWN


Man of the Match: JR Reid