*Official* South Africa in West Indies

[Jayzamann]

Gayle sorta close to 6000 test runs as well, I suppose.

 

[GotSpin]

Only watched most of the first session before I fell asleep but the pitch is dead so WI really have no excuse for amassing a decent total. As usual, this rests upon Gayle notching up a big ton with Dowlin failing again.

 

[GotSpin]

Shilli looks really good

Think Gayle prefers shilly over Benn too

 

[Kylez]

Think Gayle prefers shilly over Benn too

Yeah, it's well known that Gayle and Benn don't like each other.

 

[GotSpin]

Yeah, it's well known that Gayle and Benn don't like each other.

Indeed. Plus Shilly bowled an extra 22 overs as well.

 

[akilana]

Lack of a good first change and 2nd change bowlers is hurting SA. Only Steyn and Morkel are there to take wickets. I heard about some good leg spinners in the U19 level and about the chinamon bowler Shamzi.. Let's see how they all come up.

 

[shivfan]

Half-centuries from Gayle and Deo....

Shiv and Nash have put on a decent partnership. They need to both push on to three figures, like the Saffers.

 

[stumpski]

Partnership up to 135 now, and they've been going at 4 an over since tea ... the new ball will be critical - West Indies only need another 60 or so to save the follow-on, but you wouldn't put your house on them doing it.

 

[stumpski]

The last hour has been good to watch. Nash has 88 from 115 balls! Hardly the stodgy batsman we saw last year. And an ungainly straight hit from Chanderpaul takes him to 97.

 

[S Chanderpaul]

Shiv gets his ton

Run rate 6 an over since the new ball was took!

 

[stumpski]

Well played Brendon Nash. Fifth hundred of the game.

Plenty for the smallish crowd to cheer this afternoon.

 

[stumpski]

Steyn seems to have something to say to Nash after almost every ball. The way he's going he might be having a chat with the match referee too, the umpire's already spoken to Smith. I wonder what the story is there?

 

[Stapel]

Wow, the Saffies took the new ball with C'paul on 82 and Nash on 73. I really expected either a breaktrough, or a consolation rate a 2 runs an over. But it turned out to be a race towards centuries.

Pretty amazing.

And while I type, Nash is run out............

 

[shivfan]

Well played Brendon Nash. Fifth hundred of the game.

Plenty for the smallish crowd to cheer this afternoon.

Good to see both Nash and Shiv getting centuries....

WIndie, you see now why I say they have to play in the Test side?

 

[Scaly piscine]

Hmm would quite like the moronic declaration to blow up in Smith's face. Unlikely, but there's a chance.

Oh and again, seriously pointless picking someone as all-round inept as Harris.

 

[stumpski]

Test 100 number 22 for Chanders, and given that he's been around for 16 years, the surprise is that it isn't more. But he does have a lot of not-outs, and batting at 5 and 6 I imagine he's run out of partners in the 70s and 80s a few times.

 

[Jarquis]

Cricinfo tells me he has 12 unbeaten half centuries.

 

[Scaly piscine]

The odds are interesting. West Indies are 20-1, South Africa 7-1. Yet the par score for WI at this point (according to the bookies) results in a 15 run lead for West Indies, who would be in a much better position to force a win than South Africa and have the better spinners if the pitch offers any assistance.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Good to see both Nash and Shiv getting centuries....

WIndie, you see now why I say they have to play in the Test side?

Any word about your mate Dowlin Mike? i'm surprised you even have the cheek to try and call me out on that one, Chanders has been shocking for the past year and Nash didn't cover himself in glory in the first Test either , granted it's nice to see the lads prove that they are actually proper cricketers for a change but like the second test against Australia last December the hard work is only likely to get us a draw in the end.

 

[akilana]

It was a boring test so far. What's the point of making a flat wicket?