GROS ISLET: Quinton de Kock fell just short of a second consecutive Test century as South Africa were dismissed for 298 at lunch on the second day of the second Test of the two-match series against the West Indies at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia on Saturday.

Pivotal in his team’s comprehensive innings victory in the first Test with a commanding unbeaten 141 at the same venue a week earlier, de Kock advanced to 96 from his overnight 59 before falling to the deceptive medium-pace of Kyle Mayers 10 minutes before the interval.

However, in spite of missing out on a seventh Test century, the former captain played a key role in the Proteas advancing from their position of 218 for five at the end of day one.

Mayers, who claimed the important wicket of South African captain and opening batsman Dean Elgar for 77 on the opening day, added the wicket of Anrich Nortje to finish with the best figures of three for 28 as the tourists lost their last four wickets for 23 runs.

West Indies failed to take full advantage of the second new ball at the start of the day and it was left to first-change bowler Kemar Roach to separate the overnight pair of de Kock and Wiaan Mulder by having Mulder caught behind.

As in the first Test, de Kock then sought to control proceedings, adding 36 for the seventh wicket with Keshav Maharaj.

The dismissal of Maharaj, also to a catch behind off Jason Holder, triggered a swift slide as De Kock and the tail folded swiftly.

With Kagiso Rabada at the other end, the left-handed De Kock attempted a big drive to Mayers and edged the delivery onto the gloves of Joshua da Silva, who was standing up to the stumps.

The wicket-keeper could not take it but the ball rebounded into the safe hands of Shai Hope at backward-point.

Nortje was Mayers’ third wicket via a superb diving catch by Jayden Seales at short mid-wicket and while Rabada provided a brief flurry with an unbeaten 21, it was left to Roach to end the innings with the wicket of last man Lungi Ngidi.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings, overnight 218-5):

D. Elgar c Mayers 77

A.K. Markram c Chase b Gabriel 0

K.D. Petersen c Holder b Seales 7

H.E. van der Dussen b Roach 4

K. Verreynne c da Silva b Gabriel 27

Q. de Kock c Hope b Mayers 96

P.W.A. Mulder c da Silva b Roach 8

K.A. Maharaj c da Silva b Holder 12

K. Rabada not out 21

A.A. Nortje c Seales b Mayers 1

L. Ngidi c sub b Roach 1

EXTRAS (B-9, LB-20, W-12, NB-3) 44

TOTAL (all out, 112.4 overs) 298

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-26, 3-37, 4-124, 5-203, 6-239, 7-275, 8-275, 9-281

BOWLING: Roach 21.4-6-45-3 (1w); Gabriel 16-4-65-2 (2nb, 2w); Seales 19-4-44-1; Holder 21-5-47-0; Chase 15-4-26-0; Mayers 15-6-28-3 (1nb, 1w); Brathwaite 5-0-14-0

WEST INDIES: K.C. Brathwaite, K.O.A. Powell, S.D. Hope, R.L. Chase, K.A. Mayers, J. Blackwood, J.O. Holder, J. da Silva, K.A.J. Roach, J.N.T. Seales, S.T. Gabriel

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

TV UMPIRE: L. Reifer (West Indies)

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

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2021