This is becoming predictable. South Africa get into a spot of bother, then comes Daryl Cullinan to the
rescue. His second century in successive Tests, this time a chanceless undefeated 108 of 202 balls, took
the tourists to the safety of 244 for 5 after Day One of the third Test against the West Indies.
In the previous Test he had surrendered his wicket meekly, but one suspects he's looking to prove he can
stick it out even after the magic 'ton' mark. Perhaps even more ominous for the Windies, battered by
their batting collapse on the last day of the second Test, is the form of young Neil McKenzie. After good
performances in the South African summer against the New Zealanders and Sri Lankans, this
ultra-superstitious character may have felt himself jinxed against the Windies. But he's certainly proved
he's back to form with an excellent 72 off 152 balls.
In past years the South Africans would be a sure bet to add another 150 at least for the last 5 wickets.
But on this tour the tail has not been wagging with its customary vigour.
In part that's because Lance Klusener has failed to fire. He attributes that to the softness of the ball after
around 35 overs, with the Windies tactic in the first two Tests of not taking the second new ball and then
packing the cover field, with the bowling aimed outside the off-stump. He says even his heavy bat and
powerful hitting doesn't allow much to get through, and this frustrates him. If so, then bravo to the new
Windies captain Carl Hooper, for finding a way to tame the tiger. Perhaps Shaun Pollock should
counter-attack by putting Klusener in next time at number 3 (he has opened or come in first wicket down
in one-dayers; though, okay, you can say that’s a different ball-game).
Klusener’s form will be at issue on Day Two (and this time he should be in with the ball relatively new).
Returning to Day One, it would also be expected that Nicky Boje may end his current batting slump. He’s
made a very patient 3 not out off 20 balls. Especially in one-dayers, he's proved to be very much an
all-rounder. And Shaun Pollock, rated the world's second-best bowler, is clearly a fine batsman, though
with a tendency to slash across the line, often his undoing.
I therefore predict that around tea-time on Day Two, the Windies will begin chasing a target of well over
200 to avoid the follow-on.
Carl Hooper is clearly in good batting form, but a lot depends on whether the mercurial Brian Lara can
overcome the psychological strangle-hold that the South African bowlers have over him. His record
against the Proteas is dismal, but surely a man of his class must come right some day – with a vengeance?
The first day had started very well for the Windies, when that amazing world-record wicket-taker
Courtney Walsh snapped up another victim, with the third ball of the morning: the in-form Gary Kirsten
splicing a slip-catch to a snorter of a delivery. Then, after Jacques Kallis (11) and Herschelle Gibbs (34)
fell rather cheaply, came an outstanding 149-run stand between Cullinan and McKenzie for the fourth
wicket.
Cullinan's hundred was scored off 189 balls in close to four hours and included 11 boundaries. McKenzie
was not afraid to use his feet against leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine, and Cullinan punished the talented
new paceman Cameron Cuffy (in for Nixon McLean).
Irritatingly for South Africa, it was again part-time bowler Wavell Hinds who broke the partnership.
McKenzie pulled Merv Dillon for six over mid-wicket, but when he tried the same thing off Hinds he holed
out to Dillon.
Cuffy got his first wicket when Mark Boucher (3) edged the new ball to wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs.
Still, it looks very much like the South Africans are in the driving seat.
This Test has huge significance to them. Not only are they trying to prove they are the world’s
second-best side (a role that they may worry is being usurped by India or even England), but this was the
vselfsame venue when the newly renamed Proteas (formerly the Springboks) returned to world cricket
nearly ten years ago after two decades of isolation.
On that occasion in Barabados, the South Africans outplayed the Windies for four of the five days. Then,
faced with a seemingly easy target on the last day of fewer than 80 runs with 8 wickets in hand, they were
skittled out. One destroyer was the great Curtley Ambrose. The other, you've guessed it, was a certain
Mr Walsh. Could he once again pull the Windies out of the mire?
Watch this space.
Scoreboard
South Africa (1st innings):
G Kirsten c Gayle b Walsh 0
HH Gibbs c Hooper b Dillon 34
JH Kallis c Jacobs b Dillon 11
DJ Cullinan not out 108
ND McKenzie c Dillon b Hinds 72
MV Boucher c Jacobs b Cuffy 3
N Boje not out 3
Extras (B4, LB2, NB7) 13
Total (5 wickets, 90 overs) 244
To bat: L Klusener, SM Pollock, AA Donald, M Ntini.
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Kirsten, 0.3 overs), 2-53 (Gibbs, 20.4 overs),
3-58 (Kallis, 24.3 overs), 4-207 (McKenzie, 74.2 overs), 5-230 (Boucher, 84.4 overs).
Bowling
Walsh 20- 4- 44- 1
Dillon 18- 1- 75- 2 (5nb)
Cuffy 16- 5- 36- 1 (2nb)
Ramnarine 23- 6- 56- 0
Hooper 8- 3- 17- 0
Hinds 5- 2- 10- 1
(Paul Martin, editor-in-chief of Live Africa and Sport Africa Broadcasting, is rediff.com's Southern Africa cricket correspondent.)
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