SA vs WI, 2nd Test: Harmer, Coetzee Run Riot As South Africa Annihilate West Indies
South Africa won the series by 2-0 [Source: AP]
Riding on a superb collective effort from the bowlers, hosts South Africa decimated West Indies by a whopping 284-run margin in the final Test of the two-match series. With this astounding victory, the Proteas accomplished a clinical 2-0 whitewash over the Carribean Men.
How the battle panned out?
West Indies had the mighty task of chasing down a target of 391 runs in the fourth innings, courtesy of a phenomenal innings of 172 runs from Temba Bavuma in the third innings.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kraigg Braithwaite were the usual openers for the touring party and chalked around for the first 10 overs. Kagiso Rabada operated with the new ball and was breathing fire alongside spinner Simon Harmer from the other end.
Gerald Coetzee was the pick of the bowlers for SA [Source: AP]
What followed next was an all-out folding where the trio of Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer, and Keshav Maharaj played a great role. At one point, they were curtailed down to 34-6 and the session saw the Lunch break.
Jason Holder and Joshua Da Silva resumed in the second session and played some shots on the looseners dished at them. The star of the previous innings was dismissed by Coetzee as the veteran dragged on to the stumps. Joshua Da Silva was undone by a lowey from Coetzee which went on to bang on the off stump. Alzarri Joseph followed with some counter-attacking wild slogs but it was just a matter of time before the Windies got bundled out for 106 runs.
Harmer and Coetzee bagged three wickets each, while Rabada and Maharaj snapped two wickets each.
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Earlier in the match, South Africa posted a total of 320 runs in the first innings on the back of a top-order dominance which saw the following numbers - Elgar: 42, Markram: 96, de Zorzi: 85.
In return, West Indies got some early blows in the second innings but was later revived by Jason Holder's instrumental 81* where Gudakesh Motie stitched a 58 runs partnership for the 10th wicket.
The contest was evenly matched at the start of the third innings where South Africa lost early wickets and seemed to be in trouble on Lunch, Day 3. But the Proteas skipper had some other plans and treated his local fans with a hundred to remember for the ages. This was the turning point in the match and from here the Windies never turned back with a fight.
Brief Scores
South Africa 1st innings: 320 (92.2)
Aiden Markram 96, Tony de Zorzi 85;
Kyle Mayers 3/32, Alzarri Joseph 3/60
West Indies 1st innings: 251 (79.3)
Jason Holder 81*, Kyle Mayers 29;
Gerald Coetzee 3/41, Kagiso Rabada 2/19
South Africa 2nd innings: 321 (100.4)
Temba Bavuma 172, Wiaan Mulder 42;
Kyle Mayers 3/46, Jason Holder 3/48
West Indies 2nd innings: 106 (35.1)
Joshua Da Silva 34, Jason Holder 19;
Gerald Coetzee 3/37, Simon Harmer 3/45
South Africa won by 284 runs.
.jpg "All hail King Kohli")
