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South Africa’s march towards a series victory continued unhindered on the second day at Kingsmead, as they compiled a daunting 556 for 4 to further depress an already demoralised West Indies, whose performance with the ball lurched from the dire to the farcical. It is hard to imagine how the day could possibly have fared any worse for West Indies. They did, at least, survive a torrid eleven overs in the dying Durban sun to delay the inevitable into tomorrow.

South Africa are often criticised, quite rightly, for not nailing their opponents when the opportunity presents itself. However, no such complaint could be levied at Graeme Smith’s team, who capitalised on grossly inaccurate bowling to score 343 in 77 overs. Some of the strokeplay bordered on the outrageous, which is one of many terms that could also be attributed to West Indies’ bowling. Ashwell Prince and AB de Villiers’ scintillating fifth-wicket stand of 182 came from 38.2 overs of unabashed mayhem. Yes, the declaration was a little cautious, but only just.

Smith appeared to be in the sort of form which brought him two double hundreds against England in 2003, and was immediately out of the traps this morning, climbing into wayward opening spells from Jerome Taylor (too short) and Daren Powell (even shorter but generously wide, too). West Indies looked a dejected bunch from the word go, dropping it inexplicably short and allowing Smith to pummel it repeatedly through midwicket. It set the tone for the day, and West Indies never recovered.

Wickets did come, though through South Africa’s impatience to sustain a rollicking run-rate more than the skill of West Indies. That said, it took a fine catch from Dwayne Bravo – the unfortunate soul elected captain in place of Chris Gayle – at silly mid-off to dismiss Hashim Amla, who was squared up by the wayward Darren Sammy. It ended a fine 199-run stand but, on a personal level at least, that was the lone highlight of Bravo’s horrendous day.

One brought two though, with Smith edging a good-length delivery to Denesh Ramdin, who took it smartly to his left. West Indies were chipper, but only briefly; Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince, two of cricket’s more dogged batsmen, were a pair transformed today and capitalised on West Indies’ nerves. Kallis was particularly severe on anything short, cutting Fidel Edwards over point, plucking him to leg and picking another down to fine-leg. The run-rate was spiralling, South Africa’s lead soaring and West Indies turned to Marlon Samuels’ non-spinning offbreaks as a desperate resort to claw back respectability. After leaking runs in his first four overs, he found one to bite on Kallis who cut it straight to Runako Morton at first slip, ending his scorching knock on 74. It was a moment of rare carelessness.

The real fireworks, however, were lit when de Villiers joined Prince. Prince batted with great authority, bringing up his fifty with a sumptuous cover drive for four. Even with a new ball, and a new batsman at the crease, West Indies were unable to assert any pressure and, elegant though Prince was, he was gifted far too many four balls. The pair’s hundred partnership took a mere 23 overs.

After struggling in the nineties – he could have been run out twice – Prince nudged his seventh Test hundred, and one of his more fluent too, as South Africa’s lead extended beyond 300 and West Indies’ shoulders slunk further south. de Villiers, meanwhile, injected even more energy into the innings with a bristling hundred, his fourth in Tests, which came from 108 balls and included 14 lavish fours. The best – standing tall and hammering Powell off the back foot – took him to three figures, and three balls later Smith ended West Indies’ misery with a lead of 417.

Dale Steyn couldn’t produce any of his Waqar Younis-like yorkers in the final eleven overs of the day, and West Indies go into the third day facing a mountain to climb. Another one.

Source:Cricket News

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