South Africa struggle

West Indies bowler Daren Powell (left) skittles Ashim Amla [AFP]

West Indies fast bowlers Daren Powell and Jerome Taylor took five wickets between them to leave South Africa struggling at 122-5 at stumps on the second day of the first test.

South Africa was still 286 runs behind West Indies’ first innings total of 408 all out at St. George’s Park. A.B. de Villiers, with 22 runs, and Mark Boucher on 18, were undefeated at the close of play.

Powell struck in the opening over when Herschelle Gibbs was caught behind for no runs.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla then put on 44 for the second wicket before Taylor had Smith trapped leg before wicket for 28.

Taylor also claimed the wicket of South Africa’s best batsman when Jacques Kallis was dismissed without scoring. Kallis appeared to make a late decision to leave a lifting delivery outside the off stump but still got an edge to the ball, which Bravo did well to catch at third slip.

Amla was the next to go, missing a straight one from Powell to be bowled for 29.

De Villiers and Ashwell Prince put on 33 before Prince was caught at second slip by Runako Morton for 20 from Powell’s delivery.

Powell had 3-40 and Taylor 2-28 at the close.

West Indies” Shivnarine Chanderpaul reaches triple figures [AFP]

  
Chanderpaul hits century

Earlier, Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit a record seventh straight test half century before being dismissed for 104.

West Indies moved from its overnight score of 281-4 to 408 all out at tea.

Chanderpaul was bowled by Andre Nel after a 253-ball innings which included 12 fours.

Everton Weekes of the West Indies and Andy Flower of Zimbabwe are the only other test batsmen to have scored seven 50s in a row.

Chanderpaul’s overnight partner Bravo was one of two wickets to fall in the morning session after he top-edged a lifting delivery from Makhaya Ntini.

Gibbs and Ntini collided as the bowler took the catch and Bravo went for 12.

Ntini then dismissed wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, caught behind for one, before Chanderpaul teamed up with Darren Sammy in a partnership of 57 for the
seventh wicket.

Sammy provided 38 of those runs for his highest test score, before he was narrowly run out by a throw from De Villiers.

Chanderpaul, meanwhile, added to his overnight 43 in typically patient fashion, and started to dominate the strike in a bid to protect the tailenders.

Chanderpaul and Jerome shared 24 for the eighth wicket, and 25 for the ninth with Powell before Nel removed Chanderpaul and the West Indies innings tailed off.

Nel finished with 3-85, Ntini took 3-100 and Dale Steyn 2-121.

The series has three tests.