Shivnarine Chanderpaul(104) did today what Marlon Samuels and Chris Gayle failed to do yesterday...convert his half-century into a ton. In notching up his 17th Test century, Chanderpaul guided the Windies to a very respectable first innings score of 408. After losing overnight partner Dwayne Bravo (12) and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (1) early on, Chanderpaul received good support from Darren Sammy(38) as the Windies put Dale Steyn (2 - 121) and Makhaya Ntini to the sword, in compiling their challenging total. When Chanderpaul passed 50, he tied the world record for most successive fifties, this being his seventh in consecutive innings dating back to his virtuoso performance in England of this year.
In reply, South Africa were rocked by Daren Powell (3 for 40) and Jerome Taylor (2 for 28) as South Africa struggled to get to 63 for 4. At the close of play South Africa had managed to get to 122/5 with the last recognised pair of AB DeVilliers and Mark Boucher at the crease. With only bowlers Paul Harris, Andre Nel, Steyn and Ntini to come the Windies must know that a sizable first innings lead is within their grasp. South Africa are still 286 runs behind and if the Windies can dislodge one or both of the overnight batsmen early on tomorrow, then the Windies could set themselves up for their first Test win any where in the world for over 2 and a half years. But let me not get ahead of myself here, we've seen the Windies snatch defeat from the jaws of victory way too often. Still tomorrows play promises to be very intriguing for Windies fans.
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