Ramdin hails good day for West Indies
December 28, 2014
Kraigg Brathwaite (65 not out) and Marlon Samuels (60 not out) hit half-centuries as the West Indies reached 144 for two in reply to South Africa´s 417 for eight declared.
The West Indian bowlers took five wickets for 128 runs, despite a lightning 58 off 28 balls by Dale Steyn.
Morne Morkel was the only successful South African bowler, taking two wickets in two balls. He ended a 55-run opening partnership between Brathwaite and Devon Smith by having Smith caught at first slip, with Leon Johnson edging the next delivery to third slip.
Bad light ended play with 16 overs remaining after rain delayed the start of play by an hour.
South Africa were hoping to score quick runs on Sunday morning before making inroads into a potentially fragile West Indian batting line-up.
But they were frustrated on both countss as the West Indies took four wickets before lunch, including the prize scalps of Amla and AB de Villiers, who were dismissed in successive overs.
Only 80 runs were scored during the morning but Dale Steyn went on the rampage after the interval, thrashing 58 off 28 balls with six fours and five sixes. Amla declared when Steyn was caught attempting another big hit off left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn.
Amla only added ten to his overnight score of 23 before he was trapped leg before wicket by a ball from Jason Holder which nipped back off the pitch.
New cap Temba Bavuma scored a boundary off his first ball, when a defensive shot flew to third man off a thick edge from Holder but De Villiers was out in the next over, bowled by Taylor.
The scoring rate slowed as Bavuma and Stiaan van Zyl, could only add 21 in 10.2 overs.Steyn launched a brutal assault on fellow fast bowler Taylor immediately after lunch. He reached his second Test fifty off 26 balls, the joint fourth fastest in Test history.
Brathwaite and Smith made a solid start, seeing off the new ball pairing of Steyn and Vernon Philander. The tall Morkel troubled Smith several times after coming on as first change and finally tempted the left-hander into edging a drive to Hashim Amla at first slip. Johnson followed immediately.
Samuels batted soundly but had an escape on 20 when he was given out lbw to Morkel by umpire Reiffel but a review showed the ball was going a centimetre or two above the stumps. (AFP)
