Ntini rejoices, King frets

Makhaya Ntini has revealed that he predicted his own success in the second Test against the West Indies in Trinidad. Ntini, who claimed a career-best 7 for 37 in the second innings, also finished with the best bowling figures (13 for 132) by a South African in a Test.

"On the first day, before I left my hotel room, I said: 'This is going to be my Test'," Ntini was quoted as saying in The Trinidad Express. "Everybody who bowls in a Test for South Africa is going to want to do better than that now. It's all about dedication, I knew things could turn around."

Ntini led the attack in the absence of the injured Shaun Pollock, and engineered South Africa's comfortable eight-wicket win. The South African bowlers came back strongly after being hammered in the first Test, and dismissed West Indies for just 194 on the final day.

Satisfied with his team's performance, Graeme Smith said that his bowlers were aggressive with the ball. "We let ourselves down on the first three days in Guyana, and it's great to be able to fight back and get something out of it. It's been a hard-working Test, even behind the scenes, and it's a great feeling to come out of it victorious."

However, West Indies had a lot to worry about, including the number of no-balls bowled - the count after the first two Tests stands at 67. "There were a cluster of things that made us not perform as well as we could have," said Bennett King, their coach. "The no-balls certainly cost us in this match. We didn't bowl one no-ball in training, but what we've seen in the match is the result of changes in rhythm and tempo.

"There were also two or three shots the players probably wish they had not played," King continued. "The West Indies side has plenty of skill, and we need to combine that with better fitness."

South Africa now prepare for a two-day tour match against the University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor's XI in Trinidad which starts on April 16 before resuming the Test series in Bridgetown on April 21.