BBC SPORT | WEST INDIES V SOUTH AFRICA | Windies second best again

Caribbean broadcaster Donna Symmonds reviews the third Test between West Indies and South Africa in Barbados.

The onus was on the West Indies to take the fight to South Africa, with the visitors 1-0 up after the first two Tests.

Winning the toss was a distinct advantage.

And, as has been the tradition at Bridgetown, it was no surprise that the South Africans were put in on a pitch that offered early help for the quicker bowlers.

Although the West Indies pace attack is not what it was, captain Carl Hooper must have been confident.

With the experience of Courtney Walsh, the exuberance of Mervyn Dillon and the bounce of Cameron Cuffy, the hosts should have made profitable use of the first morning moisture and the bit of grass on the track.

Again, however, ill-disciplined bowling, sloppy fielding and a general lack of spirit. let them down.

South Africa's Daryll Cullinan scored 134 and 82 in the match
Daryll Cullinan was named Man of the Match

The second day must have been the worst day of Hooper's captaincy so far.

Walsh, at 38, bowled the most overs ever for him in a Test innings and reflected Hooper's desperation.

Four crucial catches were put down in South Africa's first innings and the Caribbean side was back to playing catch-up, literally and figuratively.

Fortunately for the West Indies, Brian Lara and Hooper - their senior batsmen - found the form to bring them partially out of trouble.

Then 'Mr Reliable' Ridley Jacobs, batting the only way he knows with uncomplicated but sensible aggression, scored his first Test hundred against opponents he thrives on playing against.

At least West Indies had one high point in the game!

Whilst there was a glimmer of hope for the home side on the last day, with South Africa starting just 119 ahead on 52 for three, time was patently not on their side.

Astonishingly, they even found themselves struggling badly to hang on for a draw on the last afternoon after being given a totally illusory target of 265 to win.

In the closing stages, there were nine men (including the keeper) around the bat with seven wickets down.

Numbers eight and nine - Ramnarine and Dillon - were obviously playing for time in a manner that did not enrich the reputation of West Indies cricket.

Dinanath Ramnarine took five for 78 in South Africa's second innings
Ramnarine was the pick of the West Indies bowlers on the final day

The match ended in a nerve tingling draw but the West Indies top order had again crumbled under pressure, showing glimpses of the frailties witnessed on recent overseas tours.

They were decidedly second best in this Test match.

With memories of the one-off Test played at the Kensington Oval in 1992, which they managed to lose from a position of seeming impregnability, this might well have been the ground where South Africa were vulnerable.

It proved not to be the case and they continued to expose the deficiencies of the Windies, despite strike bowler Allan Donald being injured and able to bowl only 14 overs in the game.

The West Indies must now be extremely concerned and have some real work to do ahead of the fourth Test in Antigua.


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