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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
AB de Villiers scored 68 and added 122 for the sixth wicket, the highest stand of the innings, with Ashwell Prince•AFP

Sulieman Benn picked up his second five-wicket haul in Tests, finishing with 5 for 120 as South Africa were eventually bowled out for 352, but the visitors will feel they had the better of an attritional second day at the Queens Park Oval. Twice West Indies had South Africa in real trouble; firstly when nightwatchman Paul Harris and Jacques Kallis fell in quick succession, and then again when Ashwell Prince and AB de Villiers fell within four overs of each other after adding 122 to leave South Africa wobbling at 238 for 7.But both times the visiting batsmen were able to claw their team back into the game, and Mark Boucher shepherded the tail superbly in registering his 33rd half-century in Tests to quieten questions over his worth in the side. As expected, spin dominated the day’s play, with nine wickets falling to slow bowlers as Shane Shillingford finished with figures of 3 for 96 on debut, and Chris Gayle chipped in with the wicket of Prince.Though there seemed to be considerably less life in the track than there had been in the 34 overs that were possible on the opening day, the welcome sun sapping all moisture out of the pitch, there was still plenty of turn on offer for the finger spinners. Both Benn and Shillingford also made cunning use of variations in flight and turn; Benn darting arm balls in from around the wicket, and Shillingford bowling a delivery close to the doosra, either pitching and going on straight or breaking away slightly.West Indies’ effort in the field also couldn’t be faulted. Brendan Nash was exemplary in this regard, throwing himself around athletically to save countless runs and build some pressure on the batsmen. Lapses were few and, until the frustrating 86-run stand for the eighth wicket between Boucher and Dale Steyn, the hosts’ body language was positive and their intensity strong.Rather, credit must go to a thoroughly patient and determined effort from South Africa’s middle and lower order. After both of the overnight batsmen fell early – Harris tapping a short ball straight to cover and Kallis shuffling across to the off side only to be struck on the pad in front of the stumps in the 14th over of the day – Gayle kept his spinners operating at both ends, but de Villiers and Prince dug in despite the generous turn in this pitch.There was still the odd moment of alarm when West Indies thought de Villiers had given Travis Dowlin a bat-pad catch at short leg off Shillingford in the 20th over of the day. But Asad Rauf disagreed, and his decision was upheld even after Gayle had asked for a referral – West Indies’ last one for the innings.Nelon Pascal, who bowled with good rhythm but was underused on Thursday as the spinners found conditions to their liking, started his second spell of the game poorly, but soon found his tempo and West Indies were convinced Prince had edged him through to Ramdin in his third over of the day. There was a faint sound as ball passed bat, and Prince turned back as the ball thudded into Ramdin’s gloves, but Steve Davis didn’t agree and West Indies had used up all their referrals.As the batsmen continued to accumulate steadily, what stood out in both of their innings was a fearless use of the feet as they went down the pitch time and again to put the spinners off their rhythm. de Villiers went to 49 with such a shot, sashaying down the track and slapping Benn through the covers with perfect precision, and when both batsmen passed fifty it appeared they had managed to conquer the demons in the pitch.The partnership was finally broken with what, in hindsight, will be called an inspired piece of captaincy, as Gayle brought himself on in the 54th over of the day and immediately had Prince well caught for 57 by Dowlin at leg gully with his first delivery.That one over was all the bowling Gayle did, but shortly after the breakthrough Benn floated one up outside off and found enough turn to take the edge of de Villiers’ attempted drive. Strangely, de Villiers walked without being given out by umpire Rauf – who hadn’t looked like giving that decision – even though South Africa still had a referral at their disposal and his stay at the crease was vital to their building a large first-innings score.Boucher and Steyn saw off Ravi Rampaul, who bowled an erratic spell with a reverse-swinging old ball, settled when the new ball was taken, and then went on the attack before Steyn charged down the track to be stumped for 39. Benn bowled Morne Morkel soon after for his fifth wicket, but Boucher went to his fifty from 102 balls and added a further 22 before he lofted to long off to give Bravo his first wicket.South Africa will be buoyed by their team effort, but a lot will now rest on Harris’s shoulders as their only specialist slow bowler on a surface which hasn’t given fast bowlers nearly the amount of assistance it has to the spinners.

Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has defended Saeed Ajmal’s reputation after Pakistan’s shock defeat against Australia in the ICC World Twenty20 semi-final in St Lucia. Australia needed 18 off the final over, in which Michael Hussey bludgeoned the offspinner Ajmal for three sixes and a four to hand his team a miraculous win. Ajmal was crestfallen after Pakistan conceded a game which was only theirs to lose, but Akmal said he was still a match-winner.”Saeed is a magnificent competitor, a great bowler and someone who remains a match-winner,” Akmal told PakPassion.net. “He has led Pakistan to many victories and I’m sure in future he will help us to many more victories.”Pakistan were missing their death-overs specialist Umar Gul, who was injured before the tournament began, so Ajmal was handed the responsibility. He bowled a tight final over in their previous game against South Africa, conceding five runs. Akmal praised Ajmal’s efforts in that game and added that things didn’t go his way during the semis.”Just look at his over against South Africa right at the end of the match in the Super Eights. He was very upset after the defeat against Australia and we all consoled him, but he can’t be blamed for the defeat,” Akmal said. “It was an amazing innings from Hussey and one of those days where as a batsman things went for him.”As a bowler, especially in T20s, any bowler can be hit around the park. I have seen many of the world’s finest bowlers take a hammering in the shortest version of the game”.Akmal said the whole team felt the pain of defeat, and that nobody could be singled out for their exit. “We were in control for so much of the match and to lose the match in that way was very difficult to stomach. We went into the tournament as a unit and we were defeated as a unit and take responsibility as a unit. There is absolutely no question of individuals being held responsible for the defeat”.After a tumultuous and win-less tour of Australia, the PCB took drastic steps to punish those players it believed were responsible for the defeats. Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan were give indefinite life bans while other senior players like Akmal himself were fined. Waqar Younis and Ijaz Ahmed were given coaching roles and Akmal praised the support staff for improving the team’s fortunes in the West Indies.”If you look through our squad this time around, we were definitely not as strong as last year in England,” Akmal said. “We were missing some key players and whilst of course our aim was to win the tournament, I think we did very well to reach the semi-finals. Credit should especially be given to the coaches for their efforts. I have really enjoyed working with two former Pakistani greats in Waqar and Ijaz and look forward to working with them in future”.

New Zealand’s squad for the third ICC World Twenty20 features a mix of rookies and players on the comeback trail from injury, but that has not been a deterrent for a side that believes they are genuine contenders for the title in the Caribbean.Coach Mark Greatbatch felt the unit was a balanced one but few players would need to be tested in the warm-up games before New Zealand open the tournament against Sri Lanka on April 30. “We think we have some dynamic batters, who can be lethal in this form of the game. Our bowlers are also very effective Twenty20 performers,” he said.Jesse Ryder, Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills, Ian Butler and Aaron Redmond are still undergoing rehabilitation ahead of the first game and there is a concern that they may play even when not 100% match fit.Ryder has not played international cricket since last September, having been sidelined with a series of injuries, and described his progress as “probably not 100% but it’s as good as it’s going to get.””I’ve been out for about six months and to come back and to score runs like I did has been good,” he said.Oram, on the road back to full recovery from a knee injury, believed the side was capable of reaching the semi-finals as they did during the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in 2007. “If we can get everyone fit then we’re a real chance to go all the way,” he said.”On surfaces expected to play slow and low, New Zealand’s selectors have included a phalanx of spinners. Daniel Vettori, the captain and arguably the canniest spinner in Twenty20, will be backed up by Nathan McCullum, Rob Nicol and Redmond. “Obviously the squad balance we’ve got … means that if they’re [the pitches] going to turn and be slow there’s definitely going to be the option of using more spin,” said Greatbatch.

Gautam Gambhir will not play in Friday’s match against Chennai Super Kings at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Eric Simons, the assistant coach of Delhi Daredevils, has said. Gambhir pulled a hamstring during Wednesday’s defeat to Mumbai Indians and was forced off the field within the first 10 minutes of the match. In his place the vice-captain Dinesh Karthik has been elevated to the lead the side.”He [Gambhir] is going for a scan to see how bad it is. Once we assess him, only then we will know how long he will be out for. It’s reasonably serious and he won’t play on Friday,” Simons said.”The captain plays an important role. He should understand the game and should be able to take quick decisions. So many captains have been fined for slow over-rate in this tournament and we need to be careful.”Karthik has captaincy experience leading his state side Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy and other domestic competitions but this is his first task leading players of international quality in a lucrative tournament. Delhi won their first two matches before losing heavily to Mumbai at home.Gambhir joins a long injury list that includes Graeme Smith, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Ashish Nehra, Charl Langeveldt and MS Dhoni – all within one week of the IPL. Yusuf Pathan recovered from a shoulder issue and Virat Kohli survived a dodgy fall while bowling. However, most injuries – Gambhir’s the notable exception – have been the sort that cannot be avoided on the field, as Lalit Modi, the IPL Commissioner, stressed on Thursday.”I think injuries are not happening because it [the IPL] is packed too soon, injuries are happening because of the game,” Modi told the TV channel CNN-IBN. “Injuries will take place if the person gets hit by a ball on the wrong place and that’s what happens. Cricket is a game like that, it’s not because of the schedule that one gets injured.”

William Porterfield will make his 100th appearance for Ireland in Thursday’s one-day international against West Indies in Jamaica.Porterfield, the Ireland captain, will have fond memories of the Sabina Park ground after playing there when Ireland inflicted a shock defeat over Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup.Thursday’s game is part of Ireland’s preparations for the World Twenty20, which starts at the end of April in the Caribbean. “It’d be a perfect way to celebrate my 100th cap to get a win over West Indies,” said Porterfield. “Sabina Park has great memories for us – the dramatic tie with Zimbabwe and the win over Pakistan.”He will become the 11th player to play 100 matches for Ireland but will want a better return from his side than last Sunday, when poor batting meant they suffered a 31-run defeat in a Twenty20 match against West Indies.”We were in a great position against them on Sunday, but let it slide,” he said. “Our bowlers are hitting their strides, and Trent Johnston in particular has been exceptional. It’s up to the batsmen to come to the party now.”

Match facts

Wednesday, March 10
Start time 09:30 (13:30 GMT)

The Big Picture

Bravo: West Indies will welcome the value addition of their star allrounder•Getty Images

West Indies’ downward one-day curve got a much needed lift on Saturday, when the hosts beat Zimbabwe by four wickets to level the series. It was their first victory in an international fixture since August last year, and the relief on their faces was palpable. It was also indicative of how hard the last few months have been for them, but as they approach the third ODI in Kingstown the momentum is still not entirely with them. It means the series is now locked at 1-1 and Wednesday’s match will put one team within a win of taking the series.West Indies have struggled so far in the matches against Zimbabwe, labouring to victory in the second game after losing the Twenty20 and the first ODI. What will give them confidence though is the return of the key allrounder Dwayne Bravo, whose presence – despite having not played for nearly three months – will almost certainly lift the team. West Indies’ most valuable one-day player, Bravo adds depth to a shaky batting order and his bowling, most notably subtle variations of pace, can do real damage.The comments of head coach Ottis Gibson on Bravo’s return underline the influence of the star allrounder. “He has only just come back and already you can feel the energy he brings. He is a very important player and already the players have perked up with him around,” was Gibson’s assessment, and it shows just how Bravo can strengthen West Indies as a team.On the other side, going into a crucial game, Zimbabwe have been hurt by the departure of fast bowler Kyle Jarvis with a stress fracture. Though Jarvis had not featured in any of the three international games on the tour so far, his departure leaves Zimbabwe’s pace bowling reserves looking a little thin. Chris Mpofu leaked 30 runs in four wayward overs during West Indies’ win in the second ODI, and although Shingi Masakadza held his nerve in a tense final over in the first game in Guyana, he too was expensive. Zimbabwe’s batting fell away in the second ODI, and that was one of the reasons behind their loss. They will hope the surface at Kingstown will be more suitable for batting and look to their top order to come good.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies – WLLLL
Zimbabwe – LWLLL

Watch out for…

Darren Bravo: If he gets a chance to add to the four ODI caps he picked up during the homes series against India after the World Twenty20 last year, this highly-rated young batsman is one to keep an eye on. After his debut innings, a cameo 19, Darren drew comparisons to Brian Lara, for the similarity in technique as well as looks. The style is there, no doubt, but the substance needs to be forthcoming.Tatenda Taibu: Zimbabwe urgently need him firing in his all-round capacity if they are to combat West Indies’ growing confidence. Taibu has shown promising form in the two ODIs so far but needs to get himself in for a big innings should Zimbabwe happen to bat first. The middle order has been shaky and the tourists cannot afford to leave it all to the gung-ho Elton Chigumbura at No. 7.

Team news

The out-of-form Andre Fletcher, who has six ducks in his previous eight innings for West Indies, and allrounder Dwayne Smith have been dropped. Fletcher’s axing means that Denesh Ramdin, the regular wicketkeeper over the past few years, who was benched after a string of poor batting performances, is likely to return to the first XI. Dwayne Bravo will certainly feature, but the management will need to take a call on whether Darren gets a game. Both Adrian Barath and David Bernard jnr have failed to fire so Darren could slot in as opener or No. 3 if one of them makes way.West Indies: (probable) 1 Chris Gayle (capt), 2 Adrian Barath/Darren Bravo, 3 Dwayne Bravo, 4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 5 Narsingh Deonarine, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Darren Sammy, 9 Sulieman Benn, 10 Nikita Miller, 11 Kemar Roach.The Zimbabweans have not let on about any changes to their XI.Zimbabwe: 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Brendan Taylor, 4 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 5 Stuart Matsikenyeri, 6 Greg Lamb, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Graeme Cremer, 9 Prosper Utseya (capt), 10 Ray Price, 11 Chris Mpofu.

Pitch and conditions

The pitch at the Arnos Vale Multiplex is notoriously slow and low, which means Zimbabwe’s band of merry slow bowlers will again favour themselves against a susceptible West Indian line-up. The weather is forecast to be just fine.The Arnos Vale Multiplex has been kind to West Indies in the 17 matches they have played here. The home team has won 14 of the matches, but two of their three losses have come in the last two ODIs at the ground, where Pakistan won by 59 runs five years ago, and Australia triumphed by 84 runs two years ago.

Stats and trivia

• West Indies have won 14 of 17 matches played at this venue, but two of their three losses have come in the last two ODIs at the ground. Pakistan beat them by 59 runs five years ago, and Australia won by 84 runs in 2008.
• West Indies’ run-rate at Arnos Vale is a lofty 4.66. Zimbabwe have yet to play here.

Quotes

“I have not seen much of Darren, but I know a lot has been said about him. I threw a few balls to him in the nets and he looks a very good player.”

ScorecardPeter Forrest posted a half-century in his second match of the season•Getty Images

Damien Wright made life difficult for New South Wales on a tightly-contested opening day, but Peter Forrest helped ensure Victoria didn’t completely dominate play. Forrest, Dominic Thornely and Phil Jaques toiled hard to get the Blues to 6 for 215 at the close of a protracted day that began an hour late due to Melbourne’s stormy weather and ran until bad light stopped play at 7.10pm.Forrest and Thornely put on 79 for the fifth wicket and pushed New South Wales on to 4 for 173, which was a decent fightback after Wright left them at 2 for 26. In his second Sheffield Shield match of the summer after recovering from a calf injury, and having been Man of the Match in his only other appearance, Wright struck twice in an over to back David Hussey’s decision to send the Blues in.Phillip Hughes’ poor run of form continued when he was caught at slip off Wright for 14 and Simon Katich followed for a duck after a good offcutter clipped his edge and he was caught behind. Forrest, who was also playing his second game of the 2009-10 campaign, helped steady the innings with Jaques, who looked solid until a blow to the foot from a John Hastings yorker left him in need of a runner.Wright played a part in the dismissal of Jaques, who prodded at Darren Pattinson and was well snapped up for 47 by Wright diving forward at gully. Steve Smith will want to forget his tentative hook off Hastings that flicked the edge and was taken by Matthew Wade but the New South Wales resistance solidified after that lapse.Thornely and Forrest locked down and each scored at a strike-rate of 30 as they aimed primarily for crease occupation against a Victorian outfit for whom victory would make a home final a strong possibility. Hastings ended their stand with the old ball when Forrest was snaffled low to the ground by David Hussey at second slip for 58 from 188 deliveries.Thornely did manage one six – straight down the ground off Jon Holland – but misjudged a leave when Wright returned with the second new ball and was lbw for 44 off 143 balls. At stumps Victoria needed to finish off the lower order – Daniel Smith was on 15 and Steve O’Keefe also had 15 – and they were also hoping their star opener Chris Rogers would recover from a virus that kept him off the ground for the whole first day.