OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 3.00pm.
3.00PM SCORE:
SOUTH Africa has won the first test at the Wanderers by four wickets — after a bad start and a last-second disaster, when man of the match Sean Pollock was caught from a full-toss, with only a run to go.
South Africa made a shaky start, losing two wickets for 14 runs, but staged a recovery thanks to the middle order batting — most notably Jaques Kallis, batsman of the day with 55 not out, and Hansie Cronje, who scored a brisk 31.
The fearsome West Indies bowling attack never quite materialised in the second innings, allowing the South Africans to defeat their match hoodoo and go one up in the test series.
Although the South Africans had all day to score 164 runs to win, they were obliged to score quickly as ominous rain clouds gathered over the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg. The match was rained out twice over the weekend, and the rain-soaked pitch contributed to the difficulties faced by batsmen on both sides.
Scoreboard:
West Indies first innings — 261
South Africa first innings — 268
West Indies second innings — (170)
South Africa 2nd innings (target: 164 runs)
R B 4 6G Kirsten c Jacobs b Ambrose 7
AM Bacher c Wallace b Walsh 6
JH Kallis not out 57
DJ Cullinan c Williams b McLean 35
WJ Cronje c McLean b Walsh 31
JN Rhodes c Jacobs b Walsh 9
SM Pollock c Chanderpaul b Ambrose 9
MV Boucher not out 1
Extras (lb 2, nb 7) 9
Total (6 wickets, 62.4 overs) 164
FoW: 1-14 (Kirsten, 8.5 ov), 2-14 (Bacher, 9.3 ov), 3-58 (Cullinan, 27.6 ov), 4-124 (Cronje, 45.6 ov), 5-146 (Rhodes, 53.4 ov), 6-163 (Pollock, 62.2 ov).
Bowling O M R WAmbrose 15.4 3 42 2 (5nb)
Walsh 21 9 45 3
Lewis 17 4 45 0 (2nb)
Hooper 4 0 13 0
McLean 5 0 17 1