West Indies is taking on South Africa in the second and final Test that started from Friday at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia.
Kraigg Brathwaite & Co. had suffered a humiliating defeat by an innings and 63 runs in the first Test, making it necessary for them to win this match to level the series.
While the Windies replaced off-break bowler Rahkeem Cornwall with pacer Shannon Gabriel. Opener Kieran Powell continued to be in the playing XI after his introduction as concussion substitute for Nkrumah Bonner in the last game. The Proteas, on the other hand, didn’t make any changes to their squad and fielded with a similar team.
Put in to bat first, the Dean Elgar-side lost quick wickets as Gabriel, Jayden Seales, and Kemar Roach displayed some top-class bowling skills and were stationed at 37/3 in 17.3 overs. Elgar played the anchor role for his side with Kyle Verreynne was the second fiddle. The duo did the recovery work, and Elgar cruised to his half-century. They shared an 87 run stand for the fourth-wicket before Verreynne was dismissed off a short-pitched delivery by Gabriel, giving a catch to wicket-keeper Joshua Da Silva.
However, the hero of the previous game Quinton de Kock walked in and formed a formidable partnership with his skipper. De Kock barraged the opposition bowlers with magnificent boundaries and continued from where Verreynne had left it. The visitors were looking in shape when Elgar was clean bowled by an incoming ball by medium-pacer Kyle Mayers.
Elgar was shown the way to the pavilion after a well made 237-ball 77 laced with eight boundaries. De Kock also reached his half-century in no time and spent only a minutes at the crease with next batsman Wiaan Mulder when the day’s play came to an end.
South Africa were at 218/5 on Day 1, whereas the Caribbean side had tried seven different bowlers in an attempt to unsettle the opposition.
