S. Africa take total control of first cricket Test against West Indies

South Africa’s relentless pace attack left the West Indies facing the prospect of an innings defeat inside three days as they limped to 82 for four, still needing 143 runs to make the tourists bat again, at stumps on the second day of the first Test in St Lucia, AFP reported.

The West Indies were routed for 97 — their lowest-ever total in a Test innings against the Proteas— after choosing to bat first on day one.

In their second innings on Friday, the home side again labored to come to terms with the consistent quality and intensity of the visitors’ pacers and seamers, AFP reported.

Earlier, Quinton de Kock had flailed a flagging West Indies bowling attack on the way to an unbeaten 141 to lift South Africa to a first-innings total of 322 and a commanding first-innings lead of 225 runs.

Having struggled in his previous four Test matches with the burden of captaincy, de Kock seemed more at ease without that responsibility and after a comparatively sedate morning session he exploded into an array of attacking shots in the afternoon period in partnership with the lower order, reaching a sixth Test century and first against the Caribbean side.

He reached the century landmark with a six, one of seven in an innings embellished further with 12 fours off 170 deliveries.