South Africa’s quest to whitewash the West Indies came to a shuddering halt at Newlands on Tuesday in the face of defiant resistance led by debutant Dwayne Smith. The 20-year-old Smith lashed the local attack in making an undefeated 105 as the Windies hung on for an unlikely draw in the third cricket Test.

Despite losing almost an entire session to rain on Monday, South Africa remained in the hunt for a series whitewash over the West Indies at Newlands. At stumps on day four of the third cricket Test match, South Africa had powered to 335 for three, a lead of 440 after Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis had savaged the Windies attack to both move to their centuries.

South African seam bowler Andre Nel, who has proved a constant thorn in the West Indian side, admitted on Sunday that there were times he thought he would not play Test cricket for his country again. Nel took a career best five for 87 to help dismiss the West Indies for 427 and go some distance in clinching the four match series.

Makhaya Ntini became the first South African cricketer since Allan Donald in 1998 to be the world’s leading wicket-taker after edging out Stuart MacGill for the honour at Kingsmead on Monday. Ntini wrapped up the West Indies tail to claim an innings victory for South Africa inside four days.

South Africa wore down a defiant West Indies rearguard action to win the second cricket Test at Kingsmead on Monday by an innings and 65 runs. Requiring 394 just to make the hosts bat again, the Windies were all out for 329 with six overs of the day’s play left.

South African cricket captain Graeme Smith might not take to the field for the remaining two days of the second cricket Test against the West Indies after suffering a hamstring injury. Smith failed to come out for the start of the West Indies second innings at Kingsmead on Sunday.

On the back of fine centuries from Jacques Kallis and Gary Kirsten, and aided by staggeringly sloppy fielding, South Africa shut the West Indies completely out of the second cricket Test at Kingsmead on Sunday. At stumps on day three, the Windies had moved to 18 without loss, barely denting the huge deficit of 394.

Opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs lashed a decidedly ordinary West Indies attack mercilessly to help South Africa dominate the second day of the second cricket Test at Kingsmead on Saturday. At stumps, South Africa had rushed to 303 for three, a lead of 39 after dismissing the Windies for 264.

South African cricket coach Eric Simons admitted on Friday that his charges had let the West Indies off the hook after the first day of the second Test at Kingsmead. ”We took our foot off the gas a bit,” said Simons. ”Perhaps we bowled too many glory balls this afternoon.

The West Indies cricket side breathed an enormous sigh of relief on Wednesday when it was learnt that talismanic batsman Brian Lara had not suffered a serious injury after being struck on the arm. Lara, the West Indies skipper, was hit on the left forearm by a net bowler while batting at Kingsmead.