South Africa lost their way on Friday but batted themselves into an impregnable position on the third day of the third Test against the West Indies in Bridgetown on Saturday. Four wickets left South Africa on 521 for eight, replying to the West Indies’ first-innings total of 296, when stumps were drawn.
Hundreds from Graeme Smith and Abraham de Villiers put South Africa in a strong position in the third Test against West Indies on Friday. De Villiers was undefeated on 122 and Smith was dismissed for 104 to lead South Africa to 253 for one, replying to the West Indies’ first-innings total of 296, when stumps were drawn on the second day.
Brian Lara smashed his second century in successive matches with a superlative 176, but South Africa earned the honours against the West Indies on the first day Thursday of the third Test. Lara dominated with some majestic stroke play, but the West Indies would have been disappointed with 292 for seven at the close at Kensington Oval.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith is playing his cards close to his chest and shedding no light on the chances of veteran fast-bowling all-rounder Shaun Pollock and left-handed batsman Jacques Rudolph playing in the third Test against West Indies. Smith has admitted that Pollock is short of serious match practice.
For South Africa, in particular, and the West Indies, the third cricket Test, beginning on Thursday, is crucial. A win in the third Test would give the visitors their fourth straight series victory over the West Indies, since South Africa lead the four-Test series 1-0, following their comfortable eight-wicket triumph in the second Test at Port of Spain.
Captain Brian Lara has been omitted from the West Indies team for the first cricket Test against South Africa later this month, the latest development in a four-month feud over sponsorship contracts. The West Indies Cricket Board said Lara gave ”a noncommittal response” to an invitation to make himself available to play in the Test.
No image available
/ 7 September 2004
Hurricane Ivan strengthened on Tuesday as it passed near Barbados, with hurricane-force winds bending palm trees and blowing off roofs just days after Hurricane Frances tore through the Caribbean. Ivan raced toward the Windward Islands with sustained winds of 175kph, making it a category-three hurricane.
Saying they’ll have no part in discrimination, delegations from South Africa, Russia, Cuba, Colombia and France’s overseas territories on Friday abandoned an anti-racism conference that voted to exclude whites.
Hundreds of delegates to a world racism conference wrapped up six days of meetings with resolutions calling for rights to African citizenship and praise for Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s land redistribution programme.