The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Van Zyl maiden ton and Amla double sink West Indies

Thu, Dec 18, '14

 

Windies vs RSA

An agreeable century on Test debut for Stiaan van Zyl and an elementary double hundred for Hashim Amla extended South Africa's punishment of a dire, injury-hit West Indies attack on the second day at Centurion. When the destruction was called off half an hour before tea, ahead of rain which washed out the rest of the day, South Africa had sated themselves at 552 for 5.

West Indies have rarely looked more bereft. They are at least fulfilling their tour of South Africa, but if they are there in body, they are hardly there in spirit. A weak attack, further broken by an injury to Kemar Roach, looks as if it is already awaiting the end: hopefully the end of the Test, not the end of the series. The left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn bore the burden and resembled a man at the end of a hard shift long before he delivered the last of his 46 overs.