19 Jun OUTSTANDING DE KOCK KNOCK AND BOLWERS PUT PROTEAS FIRMLY AHEAD
ST. LUCIA: Quinton de Kock added 37 runs to his overnight score of 59* and fell just four runs short of a second, consecutive century in the two-match Betway Test series against the West Indies at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground on Saturday.
The 28-year-old wicketkeeper led the charge with two 36-run partnerships for the sixth and seventh wickets, featuring Wiaan Mulder (8 off 39 balls) and Keshav Maharaj.
Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi (1) shared 17 runs for the final wicket, but it was Rabada’s cameo of 21 off 23 (3x4s) that took the sting out of the fall of five wickets for 59 runs in the first session. The visitors fell two runs shy of 300 in the end.
The West Indies bowlers would have been pleased with their efforts, particularly after the conditions seemed to have moved in favour of the batsmen at that stage. Kyle Mayers (3/28) and Kemar Roach (3/45) returned three wickets each, with Jason Holder (1/47) also adding his name to the wickets column when he removed Maharaj for 12.
The South African bowling attack made it look easy in comparison, starting with the seamers who were relentless from start of finish. The home team lost their captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, to the first delivery of the innings off Kagiso Rabada (2/24) and it was downhill from there. They were reduced to 56/4 by the end of the second session with Shai Hope (43) and Jermaine Blackwood (49 off 106, 6x4s) picking up the slack and sharing the innings’ only partnership of significance (43 for the fifth wicket).
They lost impetus when Hope was bowled out by Ngidi (2/27) for 43. Blackwood continued to toil while searching for a new partnership, but none were to be had thanks to Wiaan Mulder who took an incredible three wickets for just a single run as he picked off the tail. Blackwood eventually fell one run short of what would have been a well-deserved half-century at the hands of Maharaj (2/47).
It was a bowling masterclass by the Proteas, with every bowler claiming at least one wicket (Anrich Nortje 1/41).
Day Three begins at 10:00 (local time) with the South African batsmen gearing up to extend their 149-run lead.
ENDS