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West Indies recover from dreadful start

Brian Lara and Ridley Jacobs added 98 for the sixth wicket to help West Indies recover from a shambolic start, but by tea South Africa were firmly in command of the second Test at Durban

Wisden Cricinfo staff
26-Dec-2003
Close West Indies 232 for 8 (Drakes 40*, Sanford 13*) v South Africa
Scoreboard


Jacques Kallis prepares to take a catch
© Getty Images 2003


Brian Lara produced a vital half-century to mark his 100th Test appearance, and Ridley Jacobs and Vasbert Drakes chipped in with invaluable contributions of their own, as West Indies recovered from a dreadful start to reach the close of the first day's play at Durban on 232 for 8.
It wasn't a great score, but after slumping to 50 for 5 inside the first 20 overs of the match, it was riches indeed. Lara's contribution was an easy-paced 72, as he and Jacobs added 98 for the sixth wicket to ease the momentum of the match away from the South Africans.
Lara came to the crease in the type of situation that he has known only too well in recent years - a crisis. After Graeme Smith had won a useful toss and opted to bowl first, West Indies lost two wickets to Shaun Pollock in the first three overs of the innings, and were in disarray when Jacobs emerged from the pavilion to help piece together the innings.
The rot began with the sixth ball of the match. Pollock, on his home turf, had Wavell Hinds caught behind for a duck, before Ramnaresh Sarwan became Pollock's second wicket, as Jacques Kallis pouched a fine offcutter at second slip. When Ntini whistled in with the scalps of Daren Ganga and Shivnarine Chanderpaul in consecutive overs, West Indies were 17 for 4 and in desperate trouble.
Carlton Baugh, the reserve wicketkeeper, had been selected to play as a specialist batsman after hamstring injuries had ruled out Chris Gayle and Corey Collymore, and he provided some temporary relief with a belligerent 21. But Andre Nel struck in the penultimate over before lunch, and South Africa were one wicket away from exposing a lengthy tail.
After lunch, however, Lara and Jacobs came into their own. They needed some luck, and Jacobs in particular rode his, as a sharp chance off Ntini flew past the outstretched hand of second slip, before Boucher dropped him in front of first. But he was unashamedly attacking, and cracked Kallis for three fours in succession, including a pair of hooked bouncers.
But Jacobs's luck could not hold, and Nel eventually nailed him lbw for 58 (148 for 6). Although Lara looked set to carry on the good fight, even he couldn't defy South Africa's momentum forever, and on 72, Ntini suckered him with a fast bouncer that flew comfortably to Pollock in the slips (172 for 7). Ntini then followed up by spreadeagling Merv Dillon's stumps with a fast yorker (191 for 8).
But Adam Sanford thumped Pollock on the up through the covers as West Indies hauled their total past 200, and by the close he and Drakes were still undefeated, having added 41 for the ninth wicket. If they can eke the total towards the 250 mark tomorrow, their fast bowlers will fancy their chances on a seamer-friendly wicket.
South Africa 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 Jacques Rudolph, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 Gary Kirsten, 6 Neil McKenzie, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Andrew Hall, 9 Shaun Pollock, 10 Andre Nel, 11 Paul Adams.
West Indies 1 Wavell Hinds, 2 Daren Ganga, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Brian Lara, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Carlton Baugh, 7 Ridley Jacobs (wk), 8 Vasbert Drakes, 9 Merv Dillon, 10 Adam Sanford, 11 Fidel Edwards.