West Indies crumbled to an innings defeat against South Africa inside three days at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia on Saturday in the first of two test matches.
West Indies’ two-decade long wait for another victory over South Africa on Caribbean soil continued when they slumped to a heavy innings inside two and a half days.
Resuming the third day on 82 for four in their second innings and requiring a Herculean effort to save the contest, West Indies collapsed for 162, about 40 minutes after the scheduled lunch break interval.
Opting to bat first after Captain Kraigg Braithwaite won the toss, West Indies collapsed for 97 all out- their lowest Test score against the Proteas.
West Indies were dismissed for 97 one day before Quinton de Cock led the visitors to 332 all out and a 225-run first innings advantage at the tea interval.
The shaky West Indies batting was exposed again in the second innings, with the hosts closing the day on 82 for four, still trailing by 143 runs and needing a special knock from someone to make South Africa bat again and avoid an early defeat.
After de Cock’s career-best knock with the bat, fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich ripped the West Indies top order in quick fashion late in the day, leaving the hosts with a mountain to climb to get back in the game.
Resuming the third day on 82 for four in their second innings, West Indies again collapsed for 162.
Roston Chase top-scored with 62 but no other West Indies batsman reached 20 as an energized Rabada tore through the innings with five for 34, picking three of the last six wickets, which tumbled for 80 runs. Fellow fast bowler Anrich Nortje followed up with his four-wicket haul in the first innings with three for 46 while left-arm spinner, Keshav Maharaj claimed two for 23.
The defeat was West Indies seventh in their last ten Tests against South Africa and they are without a home win against their opponents since 2001 when Carl Hooper’s side won the fifth Test in Kingston, Jamaica.
