EAST LONDON, South Africa (CMC):

Half-centuries from stand-in captain Dwayne Bravo and fellow all-rounder Darren Sammy failed to save West Indies from plunging to a 10-wicket defeat in their four-day, tour match against South Africa A yesterday.

Bravo top-scored with 67 and Sammy supported with 57, as West Indies, trailing by 178 on first innings, were dismissed for 214 in their second innings on the third day of the match at Buffalo Park.

West Indies' second batting meltdown of the match meant South Africa A had a modest 36 to chase and the home team reached their target for the loss of no wickets. West Indies never recovered after they capsized to 53 for five, despite successive half-century stands involving Bravo, Denesh Ramdin and Sammy.

Ramdin arrived when Shivnarine Chanderpaul failed for the second time in the match, and added 65 for the sixth wicket with Bravo before Vernon Philander bowled him for 35 to claim his second wicket.

Failed to inspire confidence

Sammy then came to the crease and helped Bravo stem the fall of wickets with a stand of 87 for the seventh wicket before the stand-in West Indies captain and the rest of the visitors' batting caved-in to Johan Botha, whose four wickets for 20 runs from 13.3 overs made him the most successful A Team bowler.

Openers Daren Ganga and Devon Smith failed to inspire confidence that either could fit the bill for the forthcoming Test series when they both perished cheaply to leave West Indies five for two, after the visitors had dismissed the home team for 371.

West Indies were just beginning to get themselves out of the hole, when Vernon Philander had Runako Morton caught at first slip. West Indies reached 46 for three at lunch, but things continued to fall apart after the interval, when Monde Zondeki, the first innings destroyer, had Marlon Samuels and Chanderpaul caught behind for 21 and nine, respectively, to end with figures of three for 61 from 17 overs.

The all-rounders helped bring respectability to the West Indies' total, but Botha snared the last four wickets in an inspired spell to condemn the visitors to defeat in their one and only chance for quality match practice prior to the first Test, starting on Boxing Day at Port Elizabeth.

Earlier, Bravo collected the last three South Africa A wickets, after the hosts continued from their bedtime total of 351 for seven.

Bravo ended with six for 51 from 15.5 overs and Fidel Edwards had two for 39 from 19 overs.