BRILLIANT TRIPLE!........Gayle rebounds with majestic 317 in 4th Test
Fourth Test headed for |
CMC
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
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| St John's, Antigua - West Indies' opening batsman Chris Gayle leaps into the air to celebrate his triple century during the fourth day of the final Test match against South Africa at the Recreation Ground yesterday. (Photo: AP) |
ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC) - Chris Gayle became the fourth West Indian batsman to score a triple century when he cracked a brilliant 317 against South Africa on the fourth day of the fourth and final Test match at the Antigua Recreation Ground yesterday.
Gayle's ten and a half hour epic occupation of the crease enabled the West Indies to reach 565 for five at the close in reply to South Africa's first innings total of 588 for six declared.
With Tuesday's last day remaining, the game is heading for a draw with only one innings completed to date.
Gayle joined Brian Lara (400 & 375), Sir Gary Sobers (365) and Lawrence Rowe (302) as the other Windies batsman to hit the 300-barrier.
Gayle, who along with Ramnaresh Sarwan shared in a record partnership of 331 for any wicket against South Africa, was fourth out at 512 after batting for 630 minutes, facing 483 balls and spanking 37 fours and three sixes.
Resuming on 184 with the score on 299 for one, Gayle seemed intent in going for the record of 400 made by Brian Lara on the same ground last year.
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| St John's, Antigua - West Indies' opening batsman Chris Gayle reverse sweeps during his 317 on the fourth day of the fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Antigua Recreation Ground yesterday. Gayle became the fourth West Indies batsman to hit a Test triple century. (Photo: AFP) |
He curbed his natural aggression and hardly took any risk as he continued his stand with Sarwan who fell for 127 after resuming on 103.
Gayle got to his double century early in the morning session after he edged Shaun Pollock in the second over of the second new ball just in front of wicket keeper Mark Boucher and the ball went for four.
He brought up his second ton when he got two runs off Makhaya Ntini and it took him 279 balls and at that stage, had struck 27 fours and three sixes.
Sarwan, who started more aggressively by cutting Ntini for a four and then taking successive boundaries off Monde Zondeki, sliced a square-drive off the bowling of the latter to Ashwell Prince at point who took a catch inches from the ground. Sarwan waited until the umpires conferred before Billy Bowden raised the index finger to end his 279-ball knock, which included 14 fours and two sixes. He went with the score on 345.
Gayle, who genuflected to spank Zondeki to the boundary, soon lost birthday day boy Lara for four - his only scoring shot, a typical delightful cover-drive off Zondeki.
The bowler came back in his next over however to have Lara snapped up by Boucher with a delivery that had extra bounce and clipped his top edge as he attempted to cut.
Gayle and captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul then added 149 for the fifth wicket to overhaul the follow-on target of 389, which was never in doubt.
By lunch with the score on 405 for three, Gayle had reached 245 while striking three more boundaries - a delicate steer and a punching cover-drive off medium-pacer Jacques Kallis through the slips, along with a cut off spinner Graeme Smith.
After the interval, Gayle stood up straight to punch Ntini through the cover for another boundary which took him 250.
He paced his way to triple figures, but was dropped on 298 when his outside edge off Smith hit the fingertips of Boucher's gloves as he reacted late to the chance.
He brought up his 300 when he worked AB de Villiers to midwicket for a single to become the first batsman to score a triple century against South Africa and recorded the 20th score over 300 in Test cricket.
His 300 came off 462 balls in 598 minutes and contained 34 fours and three sixes.
At tea, it was 490 for three with Gayle on 300 and Chanderpaul 40.
Soon after, Gayle surpassed his countryman Lawrence Rowe's 302 to become the highest individual Test scorer for his country.
His innings ended when he essayed at cut at another Zondeki delivery which bounced more than he anticipated and took his top edge and flew into the lap of Smith at first slip.
Narsingh Deonarine soon went for four, cutting and edging to Boucher off Smith.
All along, Chanderpaul remained his obdurate self as he progressed to 82 by the stumps and the prospect of becoming the seventh centurion the third West Indian in the match. Zondeki has so far taken three for 84.
SCOREBOARD
S'AFRICA 1st innings 588-6 dec
(Kallis 147, Prince 131, Smith 126, de Villiers 114; Powell 2-137).
WEST INDIES 1st innings (overnight 299-1)
C Gayle c Smith B Zondeki 317
W Hinds c & b Ntini 0
R Sarwan c Prince b Zondeki 127
B Lara c wkp Boucher b Zondeki 4
S Chanderpaul not out 82
N Deonarine c wkp Boucher b Smith 4
D Bravo not out 10
Extras (15nb 2w 4lb) 21
TOTAL (5 wkts) 565
Fall of wkts: 1-14, 2-345, 3-363, 4-512, 5-535
Bowling: Pollock 29-4-94-0 (9nb), Ntini 28-2-94-0 (2nb, 1w), Zondeki 18-2-87-3 (2nb, 1w), Kallis 32-5-86-0, Boje 30-6-76-0, Smith 29-2-98-2 (2nb), de Villiers 5-1-6-0, Prince 7-0-20-0
Umpires: Simon Taufell (Australia) & Billy Bowden (New Zealand) TV Replays:
Basil Morgan (Montserrat)
Reserve Umpire: Clancy Mack (Antigua)
Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand)
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