Kagiso Rabada took six wickets as South Africa recovered from a batting collapse on day three to beat West Indies by 87 runs in the first Test in Centurion.
A haul of 6-50 from Rabada carried the hosts home as West Indies were bowled out for 159 in their second innings, with Jermaine Blackwood's terrific 79 from 93 balls providing the chief resistance.
The SuperSport Park crowd had seen South Africa fall from their overnight 49-4 to 116 all out in the morning session, with Aiden Markram following his century in the first innings with 47 as only two others reached double figures.
Kemar Roach took 5-47, with Markram among his victims, to fuel hopes of a first Test win for West Indies against South Africa since December 2007.
Yet momentum began to tilt back the Proteas' way when West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell to Rabada just before lunch, before any runs went on the board in the chase.
The tourists needed 247, but a wretched start saw them crumble to 20-4 and left the middle and lower order with a cliff face to climb.
Rabada had Brathwaite and Raymon Reifer caught behind by Heinrich Klaasen, before Marco Jansen drew a badly timed hook from Tagenarine Chanderpaul and then bowled Roston Chase with the next ball.
They were 33-5 when Gerald Coetzee had Kyle Mayers taken at slip, and it was only Blackwood keeping West Indies in the game.
He delivered a sparkling innings that nobody else could match, with Joshua Da Silva (17) and Jason Holder (18) briefly joining him in handy stands, but both fell to edges off Rabada.
Eventually, so too did Blackwood, a fiery delivery from Rabada into the body jabbed to Markram at second slip.
That gave South Africa a ninth wicket and it was effectively job done with the dangerman out of the way. Rabada duly wrapped it up, pinning Roach lbw.
Rabada hits Windies for six
This was Rabada's first six-wicket haul in Tests since taking 6-54 against Australia in March 2018, and his three best innings performances have all now come at Centurion. This ranks third on the list, behind the 7-112 and 6-32 that he took in the same game against England in January 2016.
It was not enough for man-of-the-match honours this time, though, with Markram taking that award.
Proteas keep rivalry one-sided
South Africa led by 130 after the first innings of this match, meaning their dismal display with the bat second time around did not prove too costly. The result means they are now unbeaten against West Indies in their last 11 Tests (W9 D2), with this a fourth victory on the bounce. Indeed, all four matches between these sides at SuperSport Park have been won by the hosts.
Home captain Temba Bavuma made a pair of ducks in his first game as skipper, but got away with it. The second and final Test of this series begins at the Wanderers in Johannesburg next Wednesday.
Powell hits 102 to lead CCC to two-wicket win over Barbados Pride
Kieran Powell scored his sixth List A hundred to lead the Combined Campuses and Colleges to their first win of the 2024 CG United Super50 Cup, a two-wicket victory over the Barbados Pride at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Friday.
Powell hit 102 off just 87 balls including 10 fours and three sixes to lead the CCC in a successful chase of 265, reaching 267-8 with five overs in hand.
The Nevisian former West Indies batsman was supported well by Shaqkere Parris who hit 44 while Jonathan Drakes and captain Shamarh Brooks also had a lot to do with the successful chase with 35 and 33, respectively.
Chemar Holder bowled with good pace on his way to 3-58 from his 10 overs while Jomel Warrican took 2-57 from his 10 overs.
Earlier, the Pride posted 264-7 from their 50 overs after losing the toss.
Kevin Wickham led the way with 65 while Zachary McCaskie and Leniko Boucher also got fifties with 53 and 52, respectively.
Akeem Jordan took 3-49 from 10 overs while Romario Greaves sook 2-47 from his full quota of overs.
Full Scores:
Barbados Pride 264-7 off 50 overs (Kevin Wickham 65, Zachary McCaskie 53, Leniko Boucher 52, Kemar Smith 32*, Akeem Jordan 3-49, Romario Greaves 2-47)
Combined Campuses and Colleges 267-8 off 45 overs (Kieran Powell 102, Shaqkere Parris 44, Jonathan Drakes 35, Shamarh Brooks 33, Chemar Holder 3-58, Jomel Warrican 2-57).
“We have capable replacements”- Powell encourages bowlers to step up and be counted in Alzarri Joseph’s absence for first two England T20Is
West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell called the unavailability of pacer Alzarri Joseph a big loss on the eve of the first of five T20 Internationals against England at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Joseph was suspended by Cricket West Indies for two games after abruptly leaving the field during the series-deciding third ODI between the West Indies and England at the same venue on Wednesday which the hosts won by eight wickets to claim a 2-1 series win.
“It’s a definite loss for us,” Powell said in a pre-match press conference on Friday.
“He’s the spearhead of our attack and one of our more experienced bowlers but, having said that, we have capable replacements. When you look on the bench strength, I think guys that are waiting in the wings are good also. It’s an opportunity for somebody to step up and be counted,” he added.
The West Indian T20 side are coming off a disappointing series loss to Sri Lanka and will be looking to bounce back against opponents they have become very familiar with over the years, especially on their home turf.
“Every time England comes to the Caribbean it’s a big rivalry. England is one of the best teams in the world so it definitely brings out the best in us from a T20 perspective,” Powell said.
“I think we’ve been playing some good T20 cricket so this series provides an opportunity for us to continue to do that,” he added.
Another added thought in the mind of players in the format this time of year is the looming IPL player auction.
With the amount of cricket played throughout the year, however, Powell doesn’t see how anyone’s performance in these five games will determine whether or not they are picked up during the auction on November 24 and 25.
Instead, Powell wants his team to focus on the task at hand.
“A lot of scouting has already been done. I don’t think five games would actually change the decisions of where IPL teams will go. It’s just for us from an individual standpoint to focus on what we can contribute to our team and leave the rest to whatever,” he said.
With the ODI team just winning their series, Powell was asked about whether or not there is pressure for the T20 side to do the same.
“There is always pressure, especially playing at home against such a good opponent,” he said.
“Fortunately for us as a T20 team, we’ve been managing that pressure pretty well, so far,” he added.
The first T20I bowls off tomorrow at 3:00pm JA time/4:00pm ECT.
Hamilton hits 96*; Cornwall, Walsh Jr dominate as Hurricanes go top with 84-run win over Volcanoes
Jahmar Hamilton, Rakheem Cornwall and Hayden Walsh Jr all played starring roles to lead the Leeward Islands Hurricanes to a comprehensive 84-run win over the Winward Islands Volcanoes in their CG United Super50 Cup game at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in St. Augustine on Friday.
The Hurricanes, after winning the toss and batting first, recovered from being 68-6 after 23 overs to post 180 all out off 48.4 overs, a respectable total in the end.
Hamilton, who came to the crease at 23-2 in the ninth over, carried his bat though the innings on the way to a career-best 96* off 128 balls including just five fours and two sixes.
To put into context how crucial Hamilton’s knock was, Jewel Andrew was the next highest scorer for the Hurricanes with 17.
Kavem Hodge starred with the ball for the Volcanoes with 4-26 from his 10 overs while Darel Cyrus was good in support with 2-33 from his 10 overs.
It was then the turn of the Leewards spin twins to take over proceedings as captain Rakheem Cornwall and Hayden Walsh Jr combined to take all ten wickets as the Windwards were bundled out for 96 in just 21 overs.
Cornwall led the way with 6-26 off nine overs while Walsh Jr took 4-20 off six overs as the Hurricanes moved to 38 points from five matches to sit at the top of the points table, one point ahead of the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and six ahead of the Barbados Pride who were doing battle with the Combined Campuses and Colleges at the time of publishing.
Alick Athanaze was the only Volcanoes batting to pass 30 with his 34.
Full Scores:
Leeward Islands Volcanoes 180 off 48.4 overs (Jahmar Hamilton 96*, Kavem Hodge 4-26, Darel Cyrus 2-33)
Windward Islands Volcanoes 96 off 21 overs (Alick Athanaze 33, Rakheem Cornwall 6-26, Hayden Walsh Jr 4-20).
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