Sport
Batting woes cause West Indies collapse against South Africa
The West Indies trail South Africa after they finished on 275 for nine on day four of the second test against the hosts (South Africa) on Monday.
West Indies batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite and Marlon Samuels made first innings centuries but the tourists then lost 7 wickets for 44 runs before the rain that washed out the morning session returned to stop play for the day.
Although a draw is still the most likely result, the collapse is another example of the batting frailties that have plagued West Indies on this tour.
They are still 142 runs behind South Africa’s first innings total of 417 for 8 declared and could face a jittery final day on Tuesday if the hosts can get to the crease early in the morning and score fast.
“(Captain) Hashim Amla asked us this morning to be professional and come out with a lot of energy and I think as a bowling unit we did that,” paceman Morne Morkel told reporters after picking up four for 69.
“Hopefully we can come out tomorrow, show good intent and bat quickly to give us a chance to bowl at them. It’s never nice to have to come out and survive the last 50 or 60 overs in a game.”
Samuels reached his sixth test century before being trapped leg before wicket by the wily medium pace of Vernon Philander on 101.
He and Brathwaite shared a partnership of 176, a record for the third wicket for West Indies against South Africa.
