Nel destroys WI for series win

A classic West Indian collapse left the biggest crowd of the match at the Kensington Oval bemused and frustrated, as the West Indies tumbled to a defeat by an innings and 86 runs. Entering the day with some hopes of playing at least toward a draw, the bowling of Andre Nel foiled all plans and sparked a consistent clatter of wickets to end the match in the final session of the day.

Nel took a career-best 6 for 32, including the key wickets of Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. The home side, facing a massive deficit of 252 on first innings showed meek resistance in conditions still good for batting, bowled out for 166.

South Africa earlier resumed on 521/8 and lost Ntini (16) to a fine catch by Bravo off Daren Powell. That was the only wicket to fall though, as the declaration came a couple balls later – 548/9 declared.

The West Indian slide began early on, with the dismissal of the hapless Chris Gayle for 5. Continuing in woeful form, Gayle was out in almost identical fashion to the first innings, attempting to pull the bat inside the line of a delivery on offstump, and providing a simple looping catch to Smith at first slip. Ntini was the successful bowler.

Just a ball later misjudgement accounted for the second wicket. Ramnaresh Sarwan (0) stood at the crease for just a delivery, shying away from a short ball first up and gloving it to Gibbs at slip. From 17/0, the crowd was swiftly silenced, as the score degenerated to 17/2.

Bad transitioned to worse just 2 balls into the next over – Wavell Hinds (11) caught at slip off Nel. Rumbles of disgusted spectators were clearly evident, amidst the South African celebration of 3 wickets in 4 balls.

Brian Lara was joined by his captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and the two moved to lunch fairly assuredly.

Rather than resume with Nicky Boje, who peddled a few impressive overs before the interval, Graeme Smith gave the ball to Nel and Ntini once more. After conceding a few well-placed boundaries, Smith received his rewards. First Lara was trapped plumb in front of the stumps, shuffling across the crease and missing a delivery angled in from around the wicket. Following his first innings 176, the star batsman managed just 13.

Next, Chanderpaul (31) was adjudged LBW to a ball that kept low. He walked off at 63/5, then Dwayne Bravo and Ryan Hinds advanced the score to 72. At that point Bravo gave in with an unnecessary waft outside the offstump.

The remainder of the line-up did not fold as quickly as perhaps expected, but the end was always inevitable. Courtney Browne managed to have some fun in smashing 4 sixes and 5 fours in an innings of 68, but lost his last genuine batting partner Ryan Hinds to a shot that epitomized the surrender.

Hinds top-edged an aggressive shot off Kallis just before tea, gifting his wicket for a contribution of 15. The South Africans wrapped up the game after tea, but first Browne got to his maiden Test match fifty. He was last out, caught at deep midwicket off Nel.

South Africa now heads into the final Test match with the series already won and a 2-0 scoreline. The Man of the Match, for his devastating bowling throughout, was Andre Nel. His match figures of 10 for 88 stood out on the batting surface at the Kensington Oval.

The fourth Test begins on Thursday at the ARG.

Score Summary:

West Indies 1st innings 296 all out (92.2 overs)
BC Lara 176, S Chanderpaul 53, DJJ Bravo 26
M Zondeki 4/50, A Nel 4/56

South Africa 1st innings 548/9 dec. (177.5 overs)
AB de Villiers 178, GC Smith 104, JH Kallis 78, HH Dippenaar 71
CH Gayle 3/85, DB Powell 3/103

West Indies 2nd innings 166 all out (54.2 overs)
CO Browne 68, S Chanderpaul 31
A Nel 6/32, M Ntini 2/40

Result: South Africa won by an innings and 86 runs
Series: 2-0 (SA)
Man of the Match: A Nel (SA)