South African fast bowler Dale Steyn ripped through the West Indian batting to send the tourists crashing to a humiliating defeat by an innings and 220 runs on the fourth day of the first Test at SuperSport Park on Saturday. Steyn took six for 34 in Centurion as the West Indies crashed to 131 all out after being 76 for two overnight.
Even allowing for an ankle injury to Kemar Roach, which has ruled the West Indian fast bowler out of the rest of the series, the first of three Tests was a mismatch.
West Indian captain Denesh Ramdin admitted that his side were only in the game for about an hour on the first day, when they reduced South Africa to 57 for three. But they only took two more wickets as South Africa piled up 552 for five declared before their batting crumbled twice in less than a day and a half.
The West Indian batting was dismal.
Leon Johnson's 39 in the second innings was their highest score of the match, leaving Ramdin rueing poor discipline.
"I am disappointed the way the guys got out after making starts," he said. "South Africa are the number one team in the world and Dale Steyn bowled a fantastic spell this morning. We need to be more disciplined against them, including myself."
Ramdin said he expected a better performance in the second Test in Port Elizabeth, starting on December 26. West Indies won in the coastal city on their previous tour seven years ago and the pitch is expected to be slower with less bounce than Centurion.
South African captain Hashim Amla, who was named man of the match after scoring 208, voiced some sympathy for his team's vanquished opponents. ?It was exceptional bowling from Dale. "The pitch quickened up a bit today and it can be difficult to bat here on days four and five. Any team in the world would have struggled to handle our attack today." Steyn left the field after bowling only five balls at the start of the second innings with what was described as tightness in the groin. But South Africa's champion fast bowler roared back to his best with a superb display of fast bowling.
Leon Johnson played and missed several times before he was caught behind in Steyn's third over of the morning.
He was quickly followed by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who could not avoid a vicious lifting delivery and gloved a catch to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers.
Marlon Samuels was caught at cover off a leading edge off Steyn in his next over and the rest of the batting succumbed rapidly.
Steyn said the wickets of Chanderpaul and Samuels, the only West Indian batsmen with proven credentials, were crucial.
Scoreboard
-- West Indies, first innings, 201
-- West Indies, second innings (overnight 76-2)
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South Africa, first innings, 552-5 dec
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K. Brathwaite c Petersen b Morkel 20
D. Smith c sub (Bavuma) b Philander 5
L. Johnson c De Villiers b Steyn 39
M. Samuels c Elgar b Steyn 17
S. Chanderpaul c De Villiers b Steyn 4
J. Blackwood c sub (Bavuma) b Morkel 15
D. Ramdin c De Villiers b Steyn 4
J. Taylor c Amla b Steyn 9
S. Benn not out 6
S. Cottrell c Morkel b Steyn 4
K. Roach absent injured
Extras: (lb3, nb1, w4) 8
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Total: (42.3 overs) 131
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Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-52, 3-87, 4-91, 5-101, 6-105, 7-117
Bowling: Steyn 8.2-2-34-6, Morkel 11.1-1-43-2 (1w), Philander 7-4-6-1 (inb), Abbott 3-0-11-0 (1w), Van Zyl 10-2-22-0 (2w), Elgar 3-0-12-0
Result: South Africa won by an innings and 220 runs
Series: South Africa lead the three-match series 1-0
Toss: West Indies
Umpires: Billy Bowden (NZL), Aleem Dar (PAK)
TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
Remaining matches: December 26-30 Port Elizabeth; January 2-6 Cape Town.
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