South Africa blossom despite West Indies Rose

South Africa, led by an attacking 85 not out by Jonty Rhodes, finished the day 94 runs ahead with two first innings wickets standing although Rose, playing in his first match of the series, claimed six wickets for 75 runs and was responsible for a run-out.

South Africa were 292 for eight in reply to the West Indian first innings total of 198. South Africa lead the five-match series 2-0.

The umpires halted play with 12.4 overs remaining when Rose sent down a fast, waist-high full toss which Rhodes picked up late.

The stoppage came after more than three hours of play under floodlights which were switched on at 1:00 p.m. to enable cricket to continue despite heavily overcast conditions.

Rhodes, in his first Test at his home ground in three years, was in superb form as he made the highest individual score of a low-scoring series. He twice pulled Curtly Ambrose for six and added eight fours in a 123-ball innings=2E

Rose, 26, suffered an injury to his left heel while playing for English county Northamptonshire and struggled to overcome the after-effects at the start of the tour.

The Jamaican was in magnificent form Sunday, however, collecting his second six-wicket haul in Tests in two bursts of three wickets each.

He dismissed South Africa's first three batsmen within 25 balls in the morning and then took another three within 17 balls when he was given the second new ball ahead of Ambrose.

In between he ended a promising partnership between Daryll Cullinan and Rhodes with a sliding save on the third man boundary followed by a hard, flat throw to wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs which beat Cullinan's attempt to steal a second run.

Rose's first victim was opener Herschelle Gibbs, who chipped a catch to short midwicket after hammering the previous ball through the covers for four.

Fellow opener Gary Kirsten received an excellent lifting delivery which he edged to second slip and Jacques Kallis drove at a wide delivery to be caught behind by wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs.

Rose's success was helped by his ability to swing the ball. He took most of his wickets with full-length deliveries in a pattern established in the West Indian innings by Kallis and Cronje.

Remarkably, only two of the 18 wickets down so far fell to any of the big four fast bowlers - Donald and Pollock of South Africa and Walsh and Ambrose of West Indies, who between them accounted for 53 wickets in the first two Tests.

Rhodes, who made the only half-century in South Africa's win in the second Test in Port Elizabeth, had a crowd of 14,500 cheering in an innings of bold strokes and superb timing.

He shared stands of 42 for the fifth wicket with Cullinan and 80 for the sixth wicket with Shaun Pollock.

Rhodes was particularly severe on Ambrose and the tall fast bowler lost his rhythm in an over which cost 16 runs including a six, a four and four no-balls.