Benn impresses, but Proteas in charge
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Sulieman Benn continued his impressive form in this series, but South Africa gained control of the third and final Test against the West Indies yesterday at Kensington Oval through resolute batting.
The beanpole left-arm spinner captured four wickets for 59 runs from 31 overs, as South Africa, replying to West Indies’ first innings total of 231, reached 285 for six at the close on the second day.
The main stumbling blocks in the way of Benn and the rest of the West Indies attack were AB de Villiers and Ashwell Prince, although South Africa captain Graeme Smith made 70 and Jacques Kallis scored 43.
After West Indies seemed to have gained a bit of an edge when South Africa slipped to 145 for five just after lunch, de Villiers with 73 and Prince with an unbeaten 55 rescued their side.
For almost four hours, West Indies offered few alarms to the pair, and they put together a record stand of 134 for the sixth wicket.
The hard-working Benn made a welcomed breakthrough for West Indies about 15 minutes before the close, when de Villiers tried to cut his 189th ball for a seventh four, and was caught behind after batting just over four hours to upset South Africa’s plans.
Earlier, West Indies captured two wickets, one of them Graeme Smith, to undermine South Africa’s plans and leave the visitors on 145 for four.
Benn gave the Windies a boost in the final half-hour before the interval, when he had Smith, the South Africa captain, caught at forward short leg.
It was a timely breakthrough for the home side after Smith and Jacques Kallis had put on 62 for the fourth wicket.
Debutant fastbowler Brandon Bess had collected his maiden Test wicket, when he provided the early scalp, having night-watchman Paul Harris caught at first slip for 11.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES 1st Innings 231
(D Bravo 61; J Botha 4-56)
SOUTH AFRICA 1st Innings
(overnight 46 for two)
*G Smith c Richards b Benn 70
A Petersen c Chanderpaul b Roach 1
H Amla c Nash b Benn 5
P Harris c *Gayle b Bess 11
J Kallis b Benn 43
AB deVilliers c wkpr Ramdin b Benn 73
A Prince not out 55
+M Boucher not out 4
Extras (b5, lb5, w5, nb8) 23
TOTAL (6 wkts, 104 overs) 285
To bat: J Botha, D Steyn, M Morkel
Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Petersen), 2-41 (Amla), 3-60 (Harris), 4-122 (*Smith), 5-145 (Kallis), 6-279 (de Villiers)
Bowling: Roach 20-6-43-1 (nb1, w2); Bess 9-0-65-1 (nb7, w3); Shillingford 25-2-85-0; Benn 31-7-59-4; D.J. Bravo 17-8-21-0; *Gayle 2-1-2-0
Position: South Africa lead by 54 runs with four first innings wickets standing
Umpires: S Davis, S Taufel
TV Umpire: Asad Rauf
Match Referee: J Crowe
Reserve Umpire: C Duncan