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Botha grabs four as Windies bowled for 231

BRIDGETOWN — Offspinner Johan Botha claimed 4-56 as South Africa bowled out West Indies for 231 on the opening day of the third cricket test at Kensington Oval on Saturday.

Pace ace Dale Steyn (3-37) and allrounder Jacques Kallis (2-36) supplied effective hostility to support Botha.

Dwayne Bravo top-scored for the hosts with 61 while Narsingh Deonarine chipped in with 46.

South Africa stuttered in reply, going to the close on 46-2.

Captain Graeme Smith was unbeaten on 35.

Fast bowler Kemar Roach (1-14) and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn (1-2) claimed the wickets.

Earlier, West Indies was in early trouble after winning the toss and batting as Morne Morkel and Steyn removed both openers cheaply.

Dale Richards, included for his first match of the series at the expense of Travis Dowlin, fell for a duck as he played across at Morkel and was leg before.

Steyn soon added the prized wicket of captain Chris Gayle for 20 as the left-hander dragged an aggressive back-foot stroke onto his stumps at 21-2. Gayle struck three fours off 19 balls.

Deonarine and the experienced Shivnarine Chanderpaul repaired the damage in a third-wicket stand of 55 straddling lunch.

But Botha, in only his third test following single appearances in 2006 and 2008, crippled the innings soon after the break by removing a trio of left-handers.

Chanderpaul (22) fell in the first over after resumption as he edged a drive to slip, where Kallis pouched a sensational low catch in his left hand.

Next over, Brendan Nash (2) followed, finally adjudged leg before after umpire Simon Taufel had to overturn his original not out decision after South Africa asked for a TV review.

It was 105-5 when Deonarine fell four short of a 50. He hit seven fours off 106 balls in 145 minutes before he missed a pull and had his off stump rocked.

Bravo and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin forged another rescue for the sixth wicket, adding 76 before another slide against some aggressive fast bowling after tea.

Ramdin supplied 27 off 71 balls with four fours before Kallis bounced him out, a top-edged hook well held at long leg by Steyn.

Kallis claimed Shane Shillingford (0) next over.

Steyn returned to remove Bravo and Roach in a spell of sustained pace and hostility.

Bravo, after hitting five fours and a six off 104 balls in 147 minutes, drove loosely and edged to first slip.

Roach (2) edged to the wicketkeeper.

Last man Brandon Bess, a last-minute inclusion after Nelon Pascal withdrew just before the toss, helped Sulieman Benn add 24 for the last wicket.

Bess, hurried down from the High Performance Centre a few miles (kilometers) away to make his test debut, ended on 11 not out.

Benn struck two fours and two sixes in 24 before he tried to reverse sweep Botha and gloved to short leg.

South Africa’s reply was derailed early when Alviro Petersen (1) miscued a pull of Roach to midwicket at 17-1.

They also lost Hashim Amla before the close as the right-hander square cut Benn straight to backward point.

Nightwatchman Paul Harris (2 not out) survived to the close with his skipper.