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Windies stamp 1st ever test win on Proteas landFiled under
WI v RSA 2008
Change is the only thing constant!West Indies cricket must (and will) regain their aura of 60s and 70s when they beat everyone everywhere! Year 2008 has started in perfect manner for them, beating South Africa (Proteas) in a test match in South Africa, for the first time.. by 128 runs at Port Elizabeth, inside 4 days! Chris Gayle is fast developing into another Clive Llyod (in looks, batting approach, leadership) and they way he talks.. at post match presentations after their historic win, Gayle was hardly satisfied & didn't read too much into their first win on African land. He said "This is a different challenge. We usually win Test matches at the end of the series when it's already lost. Now, we are one-up at the start of a series so we'll see how we cope with it for the next couple of days. We know what we're here for so we're not going to be complacent". Windies in Africa before this 9 tests, 8 won by South Africa and 1 draw. How Windies won this match? well, requirement to win a test match = take 20 wickets & make enough runs! Greame Smith won the toss and invited West Indies to bat first. Captain Gayle came out all guns blazing, played 48 deliveries to score 66 before edging spinner Paul Harris to Kallis at slips off the 49th ball. Message was present and clear - Windies won't back off! Shivnarine Chanderpul has been batted like a snail with purpose, stabilizing windies middle order after strokeful innings of Marlon Samuels. All rounder Derren Sammy negotiated well for almost 2 hours & Windies had reached a respectable first innings total. Now, after a long time, West Indies cricket has developed quality pace bowling battery in Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor and Derren Powell. To complement, they've Dwayne Bravo who bowls one delivery over 140 kmph and other at 120.. disguising batsman with his change of pace! Herschelle Gibbs got a pair, Greame Smith made 28 & 11. In both innings, windies pace battery got early wickets and South African middle order failed in reaching the victory target of 389. Remarkable was how windies improved their catching in this match, backing with "not-bad-not-special" ground fielding. To summaries in one sentence - West Indies were the single best side of this Port Elizabeth test match, hands down!
Notes from Port Elizabeth** : This is the first time in 7 years that West Indies have beaten a test team ranked above them in ICC Test match Rankings. In fact, last time West Indies beat a potential test match team overseas, was way back in 2000 when they won over England under the bowling of Curtly Ambrose & Courtney Walsh! ** : Port Elizabeth has always been a unlucky ground for the home Proteas team. out of 23 test matches here, this was their 11 defeat with only 8 wins. ** : This was 23 test match for West Indies all rounder Dwyne Bravo, and he experienced the joy of victory for the first time. Out of previous 22 test matches he played for West Indies, 16 were lost and 7 were drawn. WI in RSA 2008 schedule All team 2008 schedule has many big test series for West Indian team this year, but as far as their South African tour is concerned.. 1st T20 = 16th Dec = Windies won by 5 wickets. 1st test = 26-30 Dec 2007 = WI won by 128 runs. 2nd test = 2-6 Jan 2008 at Cape Town. 3rd test = 10-14 Jan 2008 at Durban. 2nd T20 = 18 Jan 2008 at Johannesburg. 1st ODI = 20th Jan 2008 at Centurian. 2nd ODI = 25th Jan 2008 at Cape Town (D/N). 3rd ODI = 27th Jan 2008 at Port Elizabeth. 4th ODI = 1st Feb 2008 at Durban (D/N). 5th ODI = 3rd Feb 2008 at Johannesburg. Note that the twenty20 International on 18th January will be played only as night match, starting at 1800hrs local time. check local timings for the match timing according to the country you might be in! Photo Quiz : Identify Cricketers | Pictures : Cricketers Wife & Girlfriends Related ArticlesWI v RSA 2008
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