GROST ISLET (St Lucia): South Africa beat the West Indies by an innings and 63 runs on Saturday as the Proteas fast bowlers proved decisive in the first Test at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

South Africa bowled the West Indies out for 162 in their second innings in an extended first session on the third day, with fast bowler Anrich Nortje fittingly finishing it off when Jayden Seales edged to Wiaan Mulder in the slips.

South Africa’s fast men were at the fore straight away as they blew West Indies away for just 97 on the first day in St Lucia. The Proteas took control from there, with Quinton de Kock’s 141 not out driving South Africa to 322 all out and a big first innings lead.

West Indies continued on the third day on 82-4 in their second innings and didn’t make it to lunch, although the break was delayed as South Africa closed in on victory.

Kagiso Rabada finished with 5-34 in the second innings, while Roston Chase provided lone resistance for West Indies with his 62.

Rabada’s fellow fast bowler, Lungi Ngidi, took five in the first innings, and Nortje finished with seven wickets in the match as South Africa’s three main strike bowlers starred.

They provided a winning start for Dean Elgar in his first Test as captain.

De Kock rediscovered his batting form on Friday while anchoring South Africa’s innings as his 141 came from 170 balls and included seven sixes. He has been the one batsman in the match so far to master the difficult pitch.

It was his sixth Test century but first in almost two years. He had averaged a little over 12 in the four Tests before this one, so it was a welcome return to form for a player who is a crucial cog in South Africa’s sometimes brittle batting lineup.

The second and final Test is also in St Lucia starting on Friday.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES (1st Innings) 97 (L. Ngidi 5-19, A.A. Nortje 4-35).

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings)

D. Elgar c Blackwood b Roach 0

A.D. Markram c da Silva b Seales 60

K.D. Petersen c Holder b Seales 19

H.E. van der Dussen c Hope b Holder 46

K. Verreynne c da Silva b Seales 6

Q. de Kock not out 141

P.W.A. Mulder c da Silva b Holder 25

K.A. Maharaj c sub b Cornwall 0

K. Rabada c Holder b Roach 4

A.A. Nortje c Hope b Holder 7

L. Ngidi c da Silva b Holder 0

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-3, NB-6) 14

TOTAL (all out, 96.5 overs) 322

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-34, 3-113, 4-119, 5-162, 6-215, 7-222, 8-233, 9-312.

BOWLING: Roach 20-3-64-2; Holder 20.5-4-75-4 (6nb); Seales

21-6-75-3 (3w); Mayers 8-2-28-0; Cornwall 18-1-61-1; Chase 9-5-14-0.

WEST INDIES (2nd Innings, overnight 82-4):

K.C. Brathwaite lbw b Rabada 7

K.O.A. Powell lbw b Rabada 14

S.D. Hope c Mulder b Nortje 12

R.L. Chase b Maharaj 62

K.R. Mayers c Mulder b Nortje 12

J. Blackwood c vd Dussen b Rabada 13

J.O. Holder b Maharaj 4

J. da Silva b Rabada 9

R.R.S. Cornwall c vd Dussen b Rabada 0

K.A.J. Roach not out 13

J.N.T. Seales c Mulder b Nortje 3

EXTRAS (B-8, LB-2, W-1, NB-2) 13

TOTAL (all out, 64 overs) 162

FALL OF WKTS: 1-12, 2-25, 3-37, 4-51, 5-97, 6-125, 7-140, 8-141, 9-146.

BOWLING: Rabada 20-9-34-5 (1nb); Ngidi 13-3-31-0; Nortje 14-5-46-3; Mulder 6-1-18-0 (1nb, 1w); Maharaj 11-5-23-2.

NOTE: R.O.A. Powel replaced N. Bonner during under concussion law.

RESULT: South Africa won by an innings and 63 runs.

UMPIRES: J.S. Wilson (West Indies) and G.O. Brathwaite (West Indies).

TV UMPIRE: N. Duguid (West Indies).

MATCH REFEREE: R.B. Richardson (West Indies).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Quinton de Kock.

SECOND TEST: Gros Islet, June 18-22.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2021