WI sniff victory as Ridley hits maiden ton

WI sniff victory as Ridley hits maiden ton
REUTERS

BRIDGETOWN, APRIL 2: A maiden Test century from Ridley Jacobs gave West Indies an outside chance of victory in the third Test against South Africa on Sunday. After the home side were bowled out for 387 in their first innings, South Africa finished the fourth day on 52 for three a lead of 119 runs.

The West Indies started the day on 252 for five but lost captain Carl Hooper without putting on any runs in the first over of the day for 74 when he edged a perfect Jacques Kallis away-swinger to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. At that point the West Indies were still three runs away from avoiding the follow-on but vice-captain Jacobs, who resumed on 14, came to the rescue.

Having twice been stranded in the 90s in his Test career, once on 96 against Australia in Perth last year and again on 93 in the second Test of this series in Trinidad, the burly wicketkeeper made it third time lucky thanks to a couple of sixes.

Left-hander Jacobs swung spinner Nicky Boje over square leg to move to 96 and then top-edged a hook against Makhaya Ntini in the next over which sailed over fine leg and into the packed Hall and Griffith stand. Jacobs’ century came from 161 balls with 10 fours and four sixes. He continued to bat with common sense after an emotional reception and was unbeaten on 113 when last man Courtney Walsh was bowled by Kallis.

Kallis carried the bulk of the bowling burden with Allan Donald not fit to take the field and his reward was a second five-wicket haul in Tests and a career-best of six for 67.

Mervyn Dillon (14), Dinanath Ramnarine (6) and Cameron Cuffy (4) all batted for long spells with Jacobs and their efforts were rewarded when South Africa stumbled late in the day to make a win possible when a draw looked almost certain earlier. Gary Kirsten made the first pair of his 71-Test career when Cameron Cuffy squared him up with a fine off-cutter that flew from a leading edge to gulley.

Scoreboard
South Africa: (Ist innings) 454
West Indies: (Ist innings)
W Hinds c Boucher b Kallis 2
C Gayle c Cullinan b Ntini 40
M Samuels c McKenzie b Kallis 6
B Lara c Boje b Kallis 83
R Sarwan c Gibbs b Ntini 16
C Hooper c Boucher b Kallis 74
R Jacobs not out 113
M Dillon b Boje 14
D Ramnarine lbw Boje 6
C Cuffy lbw Kallis 4
C Walsh b Kallis 4
Extras: (b-4 lb-9 nb-12) 25
Total: 387
Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-49, 3-57, 4-102, 5-218, 6-252, 7-316, 8-353, 9-381
Bowling: Donald 14-7-30-0, Pollock 35-11-84-0, Kallis 36-17-67-6, Ntini 28-7-93-2, Boje 28-7-67-2, Klusener 10-3-33-0
South Africa: (2nd innings)
H Gibbs c Sarwan b Hooper 19
G Kirsten c Samuels b Cuffy 0
McKenzie c Jacobs b Ramnarine 12
D Cullinan not out 12
J Kallis not out 5
Extras: (lb-1 nb-3) 4
Total: (For three wickets) 52
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-31, 3-36
Bowling: Walsh 6-1-12-0, Cuffy 5-2-11-1, Hooper 13-6-11-1, Dillon 2-0-7-0, Ramnarine 10-5-10-1