Winning Windies

The West Indies recorded their first ever Test victory in South Africa, winning the first Test by 128 runs, Captain Chris Gayle describing it as his greatest moment in cricket.

Jerome Taylor lifted the West Indies over night score of 146-8 up to 175 all out after smashing a quick fire 22 with 2 boundaries and a huge six. This set the South Africans 389 for an unlikely victory.

Daren Powel then gave the visitors the perfect start to the South African 2nd innings when he trapped Hershell Gibbs LBW for a duck (4-1). When Fidel Edwards then claimed two quick wickets the home team was struggling at 30-3.

The consistent Taylor reduced the South African team to 45-4 after having the dangerous Ashwell Prince (10) caught in the slips by Chris Gayle, it seemed at this stage the match would be finished by tea.

That street fighter Jacques Kallis was still standing and seemingly he was the only thing stalling a Windies win. When he was joined by AB de Villiers and the runs started to mount, it was wondered whether the notorious Caribbean panic would set in.

All fears were alleviated when Fidel Edwards had Kallis caught at the wicket for a defiant 85, the last real chance seemed to trudge off with him. Despite some lusty hitting by Andre Nel (34) and Dale Steyn (33*), the last nail was driven in, when AB de Villers’ 200 ball vigil came to an end for a patient 60.

A joyous day for West Indian cricket, but the question will be can they sustain this great form through the rest of the series.

West Indies First Innings 408
Shivnarine Chanderpaul 104, Chris Gayle 66
Andre Nel 3-85, Makhaya Ntini 3-100

South African First Innings 195
AB de Villiers 59
Dwayne Bravo 4-24, Jerome Taylor 3-46, Daren Powell 3-58

West Indies Second Innings 175
Daren Ganga 45, Marlon Samuels 40
P Harris 4-35, Dale Steyn 3-67

South African Second Innings 260
Jacques Kallis 85, AB de Villiers 60
Fidel Edwards 3-37, Jerome Taylor 3-66

Cricket Web Man of the Match= Shivnarine Chanderpaul