JOHANNESBURG, CMC – West Indies were left to ponder another abject failure after pacer Gerald Coetzee and off-spinner Simon Harmer ripped through their batting to lead hosts South Africa to a 284-run win in the second Test yesterday.
The Caribbean side were set 391 for a series-levelling win, after they dismissed the South Africans for 321 in their second innings about 40 minutes after the start on the penultimate day of the contest at the Wanderers.
Joshua Da Silva got the top score of 34, but no other batsman passed 20, and West Indies surrendered meekly about an hour and 10 minutes after lunch for a modest 106 with Coetzee taking three for 37 from eight overs and Harmer grabbing three for 45 from 17.1 overs.
The result was formalised when Alzarri Joseph was stumped off Harmer for 18 to exemplify the ineptitude of the visitors’ batting and condemned them to their second heaviest defeat by the Proteas in Tests.
It also meant that West Indies were swept 0-2 in the two-match series, after South Africa won the first Test that ended two Thursdays ago at Centurion Park in Pretoria by 87 runs to maintain of not losing a Test to the Caribbean side on home soil.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said his side had to show more heart with the bat, especially on foreign soil, or there will be plenty more days like this in this format of the sport.
“The bowlers got 40 wickets in the series and that’s a good accomplishment,” he said. “Batting wise, we weren’t good enough. We didn’t score enough runs. It’s as simple as that. “They (South Africa) are a very good attack. But away from home, we haven’t scored enough runs. It was the same in Australia. I still think we are making some good steps, but looking at the first Test (in Pretoria), we were in some good positions (with the bat), but we crumbled.”
He added: “Bowling-wise, I think at some crucial times we were still too expensive, but we’ve got to be good enough batting wise. “Away from home, we need to improve. Technically, yes we need to work on our flaws, but the mind also needs to be in the right place. It’s all about the grind because Test cricket can be tough.
“When we are on the pitch, we need to do it. We have done it before, against England at home and away. We’ve got to show that we are top batsmen, and we haven’t done that.”
Brathwaite, the most decorated batsman in the side, did not exonerate himself from criticism after scores of 11, 0, 17, and 18 in the series in which he fell to pacer Kagiso Rabada each time.
“I’m extremely disappointed, especially today (Saturday),” he said. “I was feeling quite good, but was dismissed early (again). As a leader, I like to lead from the front, and it didn’t happen this series. Next series, I’ve got to be better.”
West Indies face India in two Tests in July on home soil, but the Tour of South Africa continues with three One-day Internationals, starting on Thursday in East London, followed by three Twenty20 Internationals.
Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers shared the last three South Africa wickets after the hosts started the day on 287 for seven in their second innings.
Holder struck in the second over of the day to remove Temba Bavuma for 172 after the diminutive Proteas captain added only one run to his overnight score and was caught on the pull. Holder also held a return catch to dismiss Rabada for 16 to end the innings and finish with three for 48 from 19.4 overs. In between, Mayers got Keshav Maharaj caught at deep square leg for 10 and ended with three for 146 from 17 overs.
Any hopes of West Indies making South Africa sweat over the remaining 11 hours of play in the match were soon evaporated when they were tottering on 34 for six at lunch. Brathwaite was lbw to Rabada, who has been troubled with a stiff back in the last few days, and that set the collapse in motion before Harmer and left-arm spinner Maharaj tightened the screws after the interval and Coetzee finished things off.
Rabada ended with two for 19 off seven overs, and Maharaj took two for four from 2.5 overs, but he had to be taken off the field on a stretcher after injuring himself celebrating the scalp of Mayers lbw for seven on the stroke of lunch.