Ntini rules against the Windies

Makhaya Ntini's matchwinning performance in the second Test at Port-of-Spain earned him the best match figures by a South African bowler in Test cricket. Nitni, who carried the South African bowling in the absence of Shaun Pollock, took 13 for 132 in the match, including a stunning 7 for 37 in the second innings, surpassing a 52-year-old record established by Hugh Tayfield at Melbourne in 1952-53. Tayfield's matchwinning 13 for 165 in the second Test helped South Africa square the five-Test series, which eventually finished 2-2. The table below shows the top five match figures by South African bowlers in Tests:

Ntini's figures are also the best-ever recorded at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad, bettering Tony Greig's 13 for 156 for England in 1973-74.

Ntini seems to have a particular fondness for West Indian batsmen. Five out of his nine five-wicket hauls have been against them. He has claimed 49 West Indian wickets in 10 Tests - second only to England, against whom he has taken 54 in 12 Tests - and 31 of these have been top-order wickets. Chris Gayle, who he dismissed twice in the previous Test, has now fallen to him six time, as has Daren Ganga.

Statistics also show that Ntini has always risen to the challenge when Pollock, his usual opening partner, has been sidelined due to injury. In the 49 Tests he has played alongside Pollock, Ntini has snapped up 179 wickets at 29.55 at a strike rate of 56.96 balls per wicket. But in eight matches without Pollock, Ntini has 38 wickets at 25 at a better strike rate of 47.05.