BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — West Indies hit back with a couple of early scalps, after they were bowled out in the third and final Test against South Africa yesterday.

Playing on home soil, Kemar Roach and Sulieman Benn collected an early scalp each, as South Africa, replying to West Indies’ first innings total of 231, reached 46 for two at the close on the opening day.

Roach had opener Alviro Petersen caught at mid-wicket for one from a miscued hook, and Benn had Hashim Amla caught at point for five essaying a cut.

Earlier, the West Indies batsmen gave further proof that old habits die hard, when many fell to careless strokes, after they won the toss and chose to bat on a hard, true Kensington Oval pitch.

Dwayne Bravo struck 10 fours and one six in the top score of 61 from 104 balls in close to 2 1/2 hours, about the same time it took Narsingh Deonarine to make 46.

Before lunch, Deonarine and Chanderpaul had revived West Indies, after they lost their openers cheaply, and were 21 for two.

Richards, one of two changes to the Windies’ line-up, was adjudged lbw to Morkel for a duck, and Windies captain Gayle was bowled for 20.

After the interval, West Indies were left wobbling, after Johan Botha struck three times to leave West Indies 159 for five at tea.

Fresh from a hundred in the previous Test in St. Kitts, Shivnarine Chanderpaul had put on 55 before lunch with fellow left-hander Narsingh Deonarine, and he was Botha’s first victim in the first over after lunch, when he was caught at slip for 22.

Brendan Nash, who also scored a hundred in the second Test, then fell in the off-spinner’s next over, lbw for two, following a successful referral to the TV umpire by the South Africans.

Deonarine treated the crowd to some excitement with three fours in one over from Morne Morkel, but he started to get a little too loose, and was eventually bowled essaying a pull at a delivery from Botha.

Denesh Ramdin came to the crease, and added 76 for the sixth wicket with Bravo either side of the break before he was caught at deep fine leg hooking at a short, rising ball from Steyn.

Bravo reached his 50 from 88 balls, when he collected two off Kallis to mid-on, but the West Indies tail had been exposed, and the home team lost their last five wickets for 50 runs from 79 balls.

West Indies trail in the three-Test series 0-1, after losing the first Test by 163 runs in Trinidad, and earning a draw in the second Test in St Kitts.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES 1st Innings

*C Gayle b Steyn 20

D Richards lbw b Morkel 0

N Deonarine b Botha 46

S Chanderpaul c Kallis b Botha 22

B Nash lbw b Botha 2

DJ Bravo c *Smith b Steyn 61

+D Ramdin c Steyn b Kallis 27

S Shillingford c Botha b Kallis 0

S Benn c Amla b Botha 24

K Roach c wkpr Boucher b Steyn 2

B Bess not out 11

Extras (b4, lb7, w5) 16

TOTAL (all out, 73.5 overs) 231

Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Richards), 2-21 (*Gayle), 3-76 (Chanderpaul), 4-90 (Nash), 5-105 (Deonarine), 6-181 (+Ramdin), 7-187 (Shillingford), 8-204 (D.J. Bravo), 9-207 (Roach)

Bowling: Steyn 13-3-37-3 (w3); Morkel 10-2-48-1; Kallis 12-1-36-2 (w2); Botha 19.5-2-56-4; Harris 19-3-43-0

SOUTH AFRICA 1st Innings

*G Smith not out 35

A Petersen c Chanderpaul b Roach 1

H Amla c Nash b Benn 5

P Harris not out 2

Extras (w1, nb2) 3

TOTAL (2 wkts, 14 overs) 46

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Petersen), 2-41 (Amla)

Bowling: Roach 7-1-14-1 (nb1, w1); Bess 2-0-16-0 (nb1); Shillingford 3-0-14-0; Benn 2-0-2-1

Position: South Africa trail by 185 runs with eight first innings wickets standing

Toss: West Indies

Umpires: S Davis, S Taufel

TV umpire: Asad Rauf

Match referee: J Crowe

Reserve umpire: C Duncan