At the close of the second day of the current second test match between the West Indies and South Africa, Jermaine Blackwood made the prediction that the West Indies bowlers would bring the team back into the contest on day three.
His prediction proved to be spot on as the Windies bowlers had the South Africans reeling at 73-7 before Rassie van der Duseen led a lower order recovery as the South Africans were all out for 174 in their second innings.
Speaking at Saturday’s close of play Blackwood stated “I think once tomorrow [today] once our bowlers could go out there and put the balls in the right area and create pressure and take some wickets we can come right back into this game because the game is not far off,” when asked about his view on the position of the contest.
He also spoke of the fielders playing their part in the match and cashing in on any opportunity once presented in order to give them a boost as they look to draw the two-match series.
Blackwood, who top scored with a patient 106-ball 49, said: “I think they put us under pressure in terms of batting a lot of deliveries so I just told myself whenever I get the chance to bat I am going to try the same thing and just limit the high scoring risk shots and play straight shots as much as possible and leave alone the ball once the ball is outside the off stump.”
Going into today’s penultimate day the West Indies are 15-0 chasing 324 and Blackwood just might have to support the bowlers with another valuable innings if the West Indies trailing 0-1 are to square the series.
