Records galore for SA vs Windies
Brad Morgan
6 May 2005
With his 147 in the first innings of the fourth and final test against the West Indies, Jacques Kallis moved ahead of Brian Lara to the top of the ICC test batting rankings. It brought down the curtain on another excellent series for Kallis against the Caribbean islanders, one that brought with it a number of records.
Probably the most significant of the lot occurred during his innings in the fourth test, when he passed Gary Kirsten's 7 289 runs to become the highest run scorer in South African test history. When it was all over, Kallis stood on 7 337 runs and counting.
He also claimed the record he previously shared with Kirsten for most test centuries; his 147 was his twenty-second in 93 tests.
Kallis continued a long run of success against the Windies, tallying 392 runs in his six innings, while being dismissed only four times. That left him with a gaudy average of 98 for the series.
In total, the Western Province star has played 18
tests against the West Indians. He has scored seven centuries and nine half-centuries in those games at a brilliant average of 77.33. He has also captured 44 wickets at just less than 30 apiece, including a best haul of 6 for 67. How the islanders must fear and respect him.
Man of the series
Despite Kallis' top showing, he didn't claim the man of the series award. That went to Proteas' captain Graeme Smith.
Smith led all batsmen with 505 runs, which included three centuries - 148 in the second test, 104 in the third test, and 126 in the fourth test - and a fifty. His impressive run of scores helped lift him two places to tenth in the ICC test batting rankings.
Smith is not far off Kallis' career average mark; he has played far fewer tests, but it is worth noting that he averages 55.50 to the 56.87 of Kallis.
Herschelle Gibbs was some way off his best form in the series, failing to reach 50 once. However, because of the stellar
performances he has produced over his career, he remained South Africa's third highest ranked player in the batting rankings, at number 21.
Emergence of AB de Villiers
What was encouraging for the Proteas was the emergence of AB de Villiers as a shot-making threat at the top of the order. He enjoyed a fine series, weighing in with 460 runs, which included 178 in the third test and 114 in the fourth test.
He also kept the run rate ticking along nicely, scoring his runs at a fast clip of 65.71 per 100 balls faced. Only Brian Lara - ranked in the world behind Kallis after the series - managed to bat at a faster pace.
On the bowling front, South Africa had to do without the team's long-time leading bowler, Shaun Pollock, for three of the four tests.
However, Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel both produced man of the match winning performances to guide the Proteas to a two-nil series win as they proved to be the difference between the two
sides.
In the second test, Ntini knocked over 6 for 95 in the West Indian first innings and then followed that up with a stunning 7 for 37 to end with a South African test record haul of 13 for 132. It was the decisive factor in a South African victory by eight wickets.
In the third test it was the turn of Nel to steal the thunder. He first claimed 4 for 56 and then a career best 6 for 32 to pick up 10 for 88 as South Africa romped to victory by an innings and 86 runs.
The difference
Monde Zondeki made some good progress, claiming seven wickets, and proving the third most successful bowler behind the opening duo of Ntini and Nel, who claimed 17 wickets apiece.
Measure that against the Windies' most successful bowler, Daren Powell with nine victims, and it is obvious where the difference between the two teams lay.
Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher also deserves a mention. Apart from 12 catches in the series, he was also successful
with the ball, dismissing centurion Dwayne Bravo in the fourth test!
Bowling rankings
At the completion of the series, the Proteas boasted three players in the top 10 of the ICC test bowling rankings. Shaun Pollock, who was inactive for all but one contest, held steady in third place behind Glenn McGrath and Muttiah Muralitharan. Makhaya Ntini occupied fifth place, while Andre Nel rose to eighth spot.
World champions Australia have three bowlers in the top 10, as do South Africa. No other nation has more than one.
Following the test series, South Africa is tied with Sri Lanka for fifth place in the ICC test rankings with 100 points, just two adrift of Pakistan in fourth position.
Next up for the Proteas is a five-match one-day series against the West Indies. The teams enter the series close to one another in the ICC rankings, with South Africa in fifth place and the Caribbean side ranked sixth.
One-day international
fixtures
Sat 7 May: 1st ODI Jamaica
Sun 8 May: 2nd ODI Jamaica
Wed 11 May: 3rd ODI Barbados
Sat 14 May: 4th ODI Trinidad
Sun 15 May: 5th ODI Trinidad
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