da lvbet： Daryll Cullinan extended his South African record for test centuries to14 as South Africa closed on 244-5 at stumps on day one of the thirdTest against the West Indies at the Kensington Oval on Thursday
Marcus Prior29-Mar-2001Daryll Cullinan extended his South African record for test centuries to14 as South Africa closed on 244-5 at stumps on day one of the thirdTest against the West Indies at the Kensington Oval on Thursday.Cullinan finished unbeaten on 108, while nightwatchman Nicky Boje (3 not out) had done his job too.After a topsy-turvy day, which started and ended with the West Indies onthe attack but featured a 149-run stand between Cullinan and Neil McKenzie(72) in the middle, neither side could genuinely claim to hold the upperhand going into the second day. Significantly, however, Cullinan is stillthere for the tourists and how long he lasts on Friday could well determinewhether the South Africans push on past 300.Cullinan’s hundred was chanceless, coming off 189 balls in a littleunder four hours and including 11 boundaries.His stand with McKenzie helped haul South Africa out of a potentiallydisastrous situation. When the pair came together shortly before lunch atthe fall of Jacques Kallis for a dogged 11, the tourists were 58-3 and verymuch on the wrong end of a serious working over from the West Indies paceattack.Courtney Walsh got the ball rolling in fine style with a fearsome firstover, greeting Gary Kirsten with a rocket of a bouncer, and then getting oneto spit off a length two balls later to take the splice of the left-hander’sbat and loop to Chris Gayle at third slip. South Africa 0-1, and theKensington Oval crowd already making themselves heard.Although Herschelle Gibbs and Kallis steadied things with a stand of 53for the second wicket, the runs were coming slowly and neither batsmen everlooked totally set on a pitch that was providing significantly more bouncethan those in Guyana and Trinidad. Sure enough, both perished in the final20 minutes before lunch.First Gibbs drove loosely at Mervyn Dillon to be snapped up at secondslip by the captain for 34 and then two Dillon overs later Kallis got thefaintest of edges through to Ridley Jacobs at the wicket. Umpire SteveBucknor gave Kallis the option of walking, then eventually raised the fingerto help him on his way. South Africa 70-3 at lunch and under the cosh.What followed was a complete reversal of fortune. Cullinan and McKenziebatted right through the second session, taking their partnership to 110 bytea. Both batsmen took the attack to the West Indies bowling, McKenzie belying his reputation as a nervous player of spin by twice using his feet to drive Dinanath Ramnarine through extra-cover for four and Cullinan reaching his 50 with a peach of a late cut off the impressive Cameron Cuffy past second slip for four.After offering a sharp but takeable chance to Wavell Hinds at short-extra cover on 43, McKenzie eventually fell in the softest of manners, as part-timer Hinds again proved a trump card for his captain with the ball.McKenzie had just pulled Dillon for the sweetest of sixes over mid-wicket,only to then try and play the same shot off Hinds and smash it straight toDillon. McKenzie’s 72 came off 158 balls and included the six and ninefours.Cuffy made sure the new ball was not wasted with the wicket of Boucherfor just three, the wicket-keeper looking to force the ball away through theoff-side and edging to Jacobs.