Dellmar photos
South Africa openers Abraham DE Villiers (right) and skipper Graeme Smith (left) raise their bats upon reaching the century landmark against the West Indies in an unbroken first innings partnership of 214 on the opening day of the fourth Test in the Digicel Series, at the Antigua Recreation Ground, yesterday. West Indies wicketkeeper Courtney Browne watches Smith celebrate in the photo at left.
Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
Rain and cricket go hand in hand and depending on who is on top when it rains, it can either be good or bad.
Yesterday, the first of the fourth and final Test of the Digicel Series at the Antigua Recreation Ground, it was good for the West Indies - so good that it was really a blessing for the once undisputed champions of the world.
Two down in the series after losing the second Test at Queen's Park Oval by eight wickets and the third at Kensington Oval by an innings and 86 runs, the West Indies were up against it when rain, just before lunch and for the first time in three months in Antigua, interrupted play and rescued the West Indies.
riding high
`Batting first on a pitch which was rolled and rolled for days, a pitch with dried grass rolled into it, and a pitch which, according to former Antigua, Leeward Islands, and West Indies fast bowler Kenny Benjamin, is good for at least 16 days, South Africa, paced by Graeme Smith and Abraham De Villiers who stroked a century each, were riding high on 214 without loss off 48.5 overs at stumps.
When rain brought a premature end to the day's play, Smith was on 106 after batting for 213 minutes, facing 151 deliveries and stroking 17 fours, de Villiers was on 103 after batting for 213 minutes, facing 145 deliveries, stroking 12 fours and smashing one six.
South Africa appeared well on the way to posting a first innings total that should leave them in an impregnable position as far as the West Indies and their bid for a consolation victory is concerned.
The truth, however, is that but for the rain which sent the players off the field on four occasions, it could have been worse, much worse, for the West Indies and their second class attack.
Grabbing the opportunity to bat first for the first time in the series after captain Smith had called right for the first time, South Africa were going great guns when, with lunch still 15 minutes away, with the home team's pacers - Daren Powell, Tino Best and newcomer Dwight Washington - failing to make an impression, and with 18 boundaries already counted, the rain came and cooled them.
Batting as if they were at the crease from the previous day, batting as if the five-day match was a one-day contest, South Africa were ahead of the clock and scoring at over five runs an over from the third over when, after the left-handed Smith, who recorded his 11th Test century, had pulled Best to the mid-wicket boundary, the right-handed de Villiers drove Powell twice to the cover boundary.
With part-time offspinner Christopher Gayle replacing Washington, de Villiers, on his way to his third Test century and his second against the West Indies after scoring 178 in Barbados, cut twice for boundaries and down came the rain for the first time.
At that stage, South Africa were 114 without loss in the 23rd over with de Villiers on 63 and Smith on 47. After two more stoppages, it was 131 without loss in the 26th over, play was reduced by 25 overs, and although they did not lose a wicket in 23 overs during which they scored 100 runs before rain sent them off for the final time, the pace of the innings dropped a bit.
