South Africa celebrate after beating the West Indies 2-0
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
South Africa ensured that they stayed atop the Test team rankings by crushing the West Indies by eight wickets on the fifth day of the third Test in Cape Town.
South Africa opener Dean Elgar starred with the bat as he made an unbeaten 60.
Starting out the day on 9/1, Elgar and Faf du Plessis amassed a 42-run partnership before du Plessis was caught by Jermaine Blackwood at second slip off the bowling of Sulieman Benn for 14.
Elgar and South Africa skipper Hashim Amla finished things off with an unbeaten 73-run partnership, during which Elgar brought up his half-century.
Elgar finished on 60 off 103 balls, which included seven boundaries and a six, while Amla remained undefeated on 38 off 49 deliveries, which included six boundaries.
Elgar played some superb shots during his unbeaten knock of 60
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Benn was the only bowler to take any wickets.
West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin was gutted to have lost again, and said: “It was always going to be tough but we didn’t do the good things for a long period of time, we did it in short spurts. When you get starts you need to go on, South Africa did, we just made 50s and 60s. They’re world class bowlers but we got starts so we did well but we need to go on. South Africa deserve to be No. 1 in the world and showed that here. Our one-day boys are here so hopefully we can [give] it a good go in the one-day series.”
Amla, who was named Man of the Series, was ecstatic to have won the series 2-0, and said: “We’ve got quite a few weathermen in our team but once we got out there I was really happy with the bowlers yesterday. Dale is a wonderful asset to have in the team, that spell yesterday was exceptional, working with Simon at the other end, they worked very well in tandem. We know the team is going to go through a period of change and the guys that have come into the team have done really well. The continuity of performances has been excellent.”
AB de Villiers was named Man of the Match, and said: “The batting unit played really well, we stuck it out and waited for the right time to attack. You have to be patient in this game and wait to attack, I enjoy it when I get going but I like working hard for my runs. I’ve changed my technique on the front foot, it’s important for me to feel confident but I can change my gameplan. But my mindset at the moment is perhaps the biggest change of all. I’m very happy for Simon Harmer, he took wickets in the second innings when perhaps he felt pressure to take wickets but all the bowlers as a whole did really well.”