CAPE TOWN – West Indies predictably slumped to their seventh straight series loss to South Africa when they went down by eight wickets on the final morning of the third Test at Newlands yesterday.
Needing a miracle to prevent South Africa from reaching a paltry victory target of 124, West Indies never found such grace and the hosts strolled to a comfortable win ten minutes before lunch, to complete their fourth consecutive series win over their opponents on home soil.
West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin conceded that the regional side’s batting was left exposed by his failure and that of veteran middle order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul during the series.
“Everyone expected Shiv and myself to get some more runs. Shiv has been doing it for the past six or seven years that I have been around,” said the West Indies skipper, who has not been able to build on the form he showed over the last two years.
“And then I didn’t have the best time. Hopefully in the One-day series, I will get some runs.”
Chanderpaul, with 91 runs from five innings, has had the leanest tour among the West Indian specialist batsmen and finished with exactly the same numbers as the captain himself.
“It’s the first time I have seen Shiv fail,” declared Ramdin.
Ramdin and Chanderpaul were supposed to have provided stability to the West Indies middle order but were forced to watch as the likes of emerging batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite and Leon Johnson stood out.
“We need to take ownership of our game,” said Ramdin.
“We make 60s and 70s and think we can keep our place for the next series but we need to score back to back hundreds”.
The Proteas have now won 12 of the last 15 Tests against West Indies at home.
Opener Dean Elgar guided the Proteas home in the face of a disciplined West Indies bowling effort, top scoring with an unbeaten 60 while captain Hashim Amla finished on 38 not out.
The pair put on 73 in an unbroken third wicket stand.
Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took both wickets to fall in the innings to finish with two for 24 from 17 overs.
Resuming the day on nine for one, South Africa lost Faf du Plessis for 14 on the stroke of the first hour, caught at short backward point by Jermaine Blackwood.
However, Elgar and Amla ensured there were no further hiccups, with a solid stand that took any potential surprises out of the game.
Elgar faced 103 balls in just under 2-1/2 hours at the crease and struck seven fours and a six while Amla, predictably voted Man of the Series, struck six fours off 49 balls.
Amla finished the series with 342 runs at an average of 114.
West Indies started the day strongly, keeping South Africa scoreless for seven straight overs as Benn and seamer Jerome Taylor hit their lengths early on.
Elgar, who was unbeaten on five overnight, pulled Taylor for four in front of square to break the shackles but South Africa were content to be cautious as the Windies bowling remained accurate.
Fast bowler Jason Holder twice cut du Plessis in half with deliveries that jagged back off the seam, took the inside edge and went for fours, but the tourists failed to find an early breakthrough. (CMC)
