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West Indies Romp to Historic Win Over Proteas in 1st Test

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa: Dec 30, 2007

Source: CMC

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa - Confounding the skeptics in maintaining their discipline and sense of purpose, the West Indies completed one of the greatest upsets in the recent Test history Saturday, trouncing South Africa by 128 runs late on the fourth day of the first Test of the three-match series.

Casting aside the disappointment of being dismissed for just 175 in their second innings, the much-maligned Caribbean side earned their first Test triumph anywhere for two-and-a-half years and first ever in South Africa in restricting the hosts to 260 all out after they were set a daunting target of 389.

In keeping with the total team effort that produced this remarkable result, Fidel Edwards made amends for his indifferent performance in the first innings, bowling with unsettling pace and hostility to have the home side faltering at 20 for three.

He returned later in the day to claim the prized scalp of Jacques Kallis for the top score of 85 - albeit via a generous slice of luck - and effectively put the seal on the tourists' victory march.

But his haul of three for 37 was not singular in propelling the West Indies to victory for Jerome Taylor (3-66) also made a significant impact, as did the other member of the pace trio, Daren Powell, who consigned Herschelle Gibbs to the second "pair" of his Test career.

All of the bowlers used on the day claimed at least one wicket, with Marlon Samuels, who was later named "Man of the Match" for his innings of 94 and 40, having the satisfaction of formalising the win with the wicket of Makhaya Ntini, caught by Powell at mid-off attempting a typically wild slog 15 minutes before the scheduled close.

For four members of the team - Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Runako Morton and Darren Sammy - it was the first time they were playing in a winning Test team, with Bravo's run of 23 matches without success since his debut at Lord's in 2004 making him the player with the third highest number of matches played before enjoying a Test victory in the history of the game.

WINDIES END WINLESS STREAK

The result also ended the West Indies' winless Test streak at 20 matches, equalling their previous longest barren period from 1969 to 1973.

Whether or not they were weighed down by those onerous statistics, Chris Gayle's men did not show it on what proved to be the final day at a venue where the South Africans have found success hard to come by in recent times.

Beaten at St George's Park a year earlier by India before rebounding to take the series with victory in the remaining two Tests, the Proteas knew they were up against it once more after the tourists added a further 29 runs on the fourth morning before they were dismissed.

Left-arm spinner Paul Harris wrapped up the innings with the wickets of Powell and Taylor to finish with the best figures of four for 35.

A target of 389, even with the amount of time available, was always going to be unlikely. By the lunch interval, the question being asked was whether they would survive until tea as Powell and Edwards combined to reduce the South Africans to 45 for three at the break.

Gibbs fell victim to Powell for the second time in the match, palpably lbw when he offered no shot to a delivery that jagged back into the right-hander. Edwards then had Hashim Amla caught behind for eight and followed that success up by working over Graeme Smith.

The opening batsman and captain was forced to fend off a couple brutish deliveries, but had no answer to a third. His attempt at self-preservation resulted in a lobbed catch that was claimed by Ganga diving onto the pitch from short-leg.

Taylor joined in with the wicket of Ashwell Prince, caught by Gayle at first slip, in the first over upon the resumption.

Yet any expectations of the South Africans rolling over without a fight were stalled by the resistance of Kallis and AB de Villiers. The pair put on 112 runs for the fifth wicket without too many difficulties with Kallis as commandingly resolute as ever and his younger partner keen to follow his lead.

Kallis started cautiously but exploded to stroke nine fours from 126 balls in 188 minutes while de Villiers cracked 60 with six fours, his innings needing 132 balls and spanning 200 minutes.

But Kallis' pursuit of an eighth Test century against the West Indies and first ever at Port Elizabeth ended when an attempted hook off Edwards was taken down the leg-side by wicketkeeper Ramdin and umpire Russell Tiffin upheld the concerted appeal for a catch at the wicket.

Television replays showed, however, that the ball had struck only the batsman's shoulder, so his obvious disappointment at the Zimbabwean official's verdict was understandable.

STUMBLING BLOCK REMOVED

With that considerable stumbling block removed, the West Indies attacked with renewed vigour. Mark Boucher, who passed 4,000 Test runs during his innings, dragged an attempted pull off Taylor onto his stumps to depart for 13 while Harris played on to Bravo to give the all-rounder his 50th Test wicket.

De Villiers completed his second half-century of the match, but when he drove Taylor into the lap of Samuels at mid-on to make the score 192 for eight, the West Indian players were already in full-fledged celebration mode.

That jubilation was quelled by a boisterous ninth-wicket stand of 67 between Dale Steyn and Andre Nel, the pair reaching their Test best scores in hoisting boundaries aplenty to the delight of the home crowd, who finally had something to cheer about on the day.

But Gayle summoned Sammy, who responded by having Nel caught behind for 34 from 37 balls, and when Ntini held out to Powell, leaving Steyn unbeaten on 33 from 26 balls, the improbable had become reality.