CENTURION—West Indies suffered their heaviest ever defeat in South Africa, when they were humiliated by an innings and 220 runs, 70 minutes before lunch on the penultimate day of the opening Test yesterday.
Resuming at 76 for two in their second innings still requiring a further 275 runs to avoid an innings defeat, the Caribbean side capitulated inside just 15.3 overs to 131 all out, to fall behind 1-0 in the three-Test series.
They were ripped apart by the ruthless Dale Steyn who snatched six for 34 to trigger the collapse that saw the last eight wickets tumble for 55 runs at SuperSport Park.
Fellow fast bowler Morne Morkel picked up two for 43.
Leon Johnson, unbeaten on 33 overnight, top-scored with 39 but once he fell in the sixth over of the day, no other batsman passed 20.
Kemar Roach did not bat because of an ankle injury.
The emphatic nature of the victory was emphasized in the fact West Indies were dismissed twice in four sessions, following the wash-out of the final session on Thursday’s second day. For the hosts, it was also their second largest margin of victory in Tests.
West Indies were hopeful when Johnson and stroke-maker Marlon Samuels, on 13, navigated the opening moments of the day’s play, to stretch their third wicket stand to 35 runs.
However, Johnson perished to the 88th delivery he faced in just under two hours at the crease, nicking behind one from Steyn that moved away just enough, to leave West Indies on 87 for three.
The visitors’ hopes then rested squarely on a significant stand between Samuels and veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul but this never materialized.
Chanderpaul faced just nine balls before falling to Steyn in the bowler’s next over, gloving a lifter to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers, to fall for four. Samuels hung around for 70 minutes overall for his 17 before finally departing with the score on 101 for five, getting a leading edge to Dean Elgar at cover off one that bounced sharply and forced the right-hander to defend.
Struggling badly and needing a gallant inings to survive until lunch, West Indies’ desperate search for a hero bypassed captain Denesh Ramdin again.
For the second time in the match, the right-hander failed to cope, falling to a superb diving catch by de Villiers after fending off a quick short-of-a-length delivery from Steyn two balls after Samuels’s demise.
He made just four, and has now made only 23 runs from his last five Test innings.
The end came swiftly. Jermaine Blackwood lashed three fours in his 17-ball stay before gloving Morkel to substitute Temba Bavuma at short-leg for 15 and Steyn removed Jerome Taylor to a catch at first slip by Man-of-the-Match captain Hashim Amla for nine.
Fittingly, Steyn finished off the innings when he had Sheldon Cottrell caught at mid-wicket by Kyle Abbott, for four.
The second Test bowls off Boxing Day in Port Elizabeth. CMC
