Having taken confidence from not letting the South African innings prosper too much, West Indies were expected to turn around their fortunes with the bat. However, what followed was another disappointing performance from their line-up on Day 2 of the second Test in St Lucia.
One more inappropriate display with the bat saw the hosts being bundled out for just 149 in response to the visitors’ 298. Only four of the West Indies batters reached double digits, with only two of those – Shai Hope (43) and Jermaine Blackwood (49) – showing some fight against a high-class South African bowling attack.
Dismissed for scores of 97 & 162, the Calypso Kings once again failed to give a good account of themselves. Once the usually dogged Kraigg Brathwaite (0) fell off the very first ball, it was a bit of a procession for the hosts. Either side of a resilient 43-run stand between Hope and Blackwood, West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals.
It took Proteas only 54 overs to make it past the West Indies batting line-up. Their pace battery was once again in its elements. Kagiso Rabada (2/24) and Lungi Ngidi (2/27) – both of whom had taken five-fers last match – added a couple of wickets to their series tally, while Anrich Nortje (1/41) also took one wicket. Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj (2/47) contributed two scalps as well before Wiaan Mulder (3/1) ran through the Caribbean tail at the cost of just one run.
Earlier on, after resuming play at 218/5, Proteas could only drag their innings for another 80 runs. Quinton de Kock, who was 50-odd not out overnight, entered one more score into the nineties but just when he would’ve hoped to post another Test 100, he was dismissed for 96.
Nevertheless, De Kock allowed South Africa to reach a score near the 300-mark, which is prevailing circumstances in St Lucia posed a challenging outlook and ultimately proved good enough to bag a sizeable lead.
Experienced quick Kemar Roach (3/45) and part-timer Kyle Mayers (3/28) ended with three wickets apiece, but West Indies needed a greater collective act from their bowling unit to be able to cover for their struggling batting.
Brief scores
West Indies 149 (Jermaine Blackwood 49, Shai Hope 43; Wiaan Mulder 1/3, Kagiso Rabada 2/24) trail South Africa 298 (Quinton de Kock 96, Dean Elgar 77; Kyle Mayers 3/28, Kemar Roach 3/45) by 149 runs.
