Cape Town: The West Indies batting folded in limp fashion on Monday to hand South Africa the chance to wrap up a 2-0 Test series victory at Newlands in Cape Town.
The tourists — already trailling in the three-match rubber after losing the first Test and drawing the rain-affected second — lost their last six wickets for just 13 runs as their second innings limped to 215 all out. The Proteas were set a victory target of just 124 to win. They were nine for one at stumps.
Rain washed out the first two sessions of the fourth day’s play, but the clouds eventually cleared to allow an extended 53-over final session.
South Africa made an early breakthrough with the wicket of Leon Johnson. Johnson was caught behind for 44, flaying at a steep ball on his off stump from Morne Morkel, as the West Indies moved on to 95 for three in their second innings, just three runs ahead of their hosts.
But the tourists looked like they were capable of building a useful lead and pushing for victory in today’s final day when Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul were at the crease.
The pair put on 80 for the fifth wicket, with Samuels particularly confident as he gave debutant off-spinner Simon Harmer some rough treatment.
But it was the South African bowler who had the final say as he tempted Samuels in to one big hit too many and he was caught on the boundary by Dean Elgar for 74.
Dale Steyn then cleaned up Jermaine Blackwood for 13 and that prompted the West Indies’ catastrophic collapse.
The stoic Chanderpaul could only look on as player after player tamely gave up their wicket to Harmer (4-82) and Steyn (3-75), before the veteran himself was last man out, run out for exactly 50.
There was still time for Sulieman Benn to bowl Alviro Peterson for a duck before the close.
