1st Test: West Indies v South Africa at Guyana, 9-13 Mar 2001 CricInfo Live Report

1st Test: West Indies v South Africa at Guyana, 9-13 Mar 2001
Peter Robinson

West Indies 1st innings: Day 1 - Lunch, Day 1 - Afternoon Drinks, Tea - Day 1,

GAYLE LEAVES INDELIBLE MARK

Chris Gayle was finally dismissed 20 minutes before tea on the first day of the first Test against South Africa but he had left an indelible mark on the innings with a personal contribution of 81 from just 158 balls with 14 boundaries as the West Indies reached 173/3 at tea.

The 21-year-old Jamaican left-handed opener drove the ball imperiously in the first session as South Africa's seamers, Makhaya Ntini especially, pitched the ball up too far but as the tourists began to adopt defensive measures after lunch Gayle showed that he had the temperament to adjust his game.

Although tied down by Lance Klusener's brisk and accurate off-cutters, Gayle showed no sign of impatience and used to his feet beautifully to left-arm spinner Nicky Boje whom he drove for two sumptuous boundaries in consecutive balls through mid on.

Gayle was also umperturbed by the loss of Marlon Samuels with whom he had shared a second wicket stand of 88. Samuels, just 20 years old and a team-mate of Gayle's in the Busta Cup winning Jamaican side of 2001, also batted with consumate skill to reach 40 before playing around a Boje delivery that turned sufficiently to beat the leading edge and hit middle and off.

Brian Lara announced his arrival by persuading a perfectly decent delivery from Boje to the midwicket boundary and every shot thereafter in his unbeaten 19 from 59 balls at tea has been straight from the text book.

Critics and fans alike of Brian Lara say they see when he "means it". If that is so, then he clearly means it now.

Gayle finally perished to an attempted cut against Jacques Kallis. The ball barely kept low, the fielders appealed and umpire John Hampshire's finger went up. Television replays showed no deviation.

BOJE STRIKE BRINGS LARA TO THE STAGE

Chris Gayle completed a fine half century in a quiet hour after lunch as as the West Indies batted themselves into a strong position on the opening day of the first test with South Africa.

Gayle reached his first test half-century a quarter-of-an hour after lunch, with a delicate cut for two. His 50 came up from 94 balls, with eight boundaries.

South Africa bought themselves another wicket in the run up to drinks. Though Samuels had managed to hit Boje for a glorious boundary in the over previous, he looked fairly anxious. Advancing down the track, the ball spun across the face of the bat and, to Boje's delight, clipped the stumps. Samuels had made a decent 40.

With the score 131-2, the Bourda crowd gave Brian Lara a rapturous welcome. He got underway first ball, showing aggression against Boje, working him away on the leg side.

The slowness of the pitch was underlined early in the session. Samuels edged, pushing firmly at a pitched-up ball from Donald, only for the ball to arrive at Boucher on the first bounce. Later in Donald's spell, a ball to Samuels shot along the ground, suggesting that the track might be difficult to bat on come the fourth and fifth day.

The slowness of the pitch looked to be causing a deal of frustration, as Samuels edged Pollock short of second slip and to the boundary. This frustration was replaced by joy shortly after, as Boje struck.

At the drinks break, with Lara already having played a gorgeous clip to mid wicket off Boje for his first boundary, the WIndies are well placed on 141-2. Chris Gayle in unbeaten on 62, with Lara, new to the crease on 9.

GAYLE KNOCK THE HIGHLIGHT AS WINDIES TAKE CHARGE

A sparkling knock from Chris Gayle has been the highlight of an entertaining morning session as the first test between West Indies and South Africa gets underway in Georgetown, Guyana. The left-handed Gayle has looked in supreme form, driving forcibly and confidently through the off side at will . The flourish and force with which he plays his stroke suggests more than a touch of class.

Gayle, who scored three centuries in the Busta Cup, remained unbeaten on 48 at lunch, as the WIndies reached a hundred for the loss of only Wavell Hinds.

Gayle, still only 21, looked particularly confident through the off side, driving straight at every opportunity. He took an immediate liking to Makhaya Ntini, who replaced Allan Donald in the 13th over. With a glorious flourish of the bat, Gayle hit Ntini for four boundaries through the off side.

At the other end, Shaun Pollock was starting to get hot under the collar. He had a decent looking lbw shout against Marlon Samuels turned down - Samuels getting an inside edge. The young batsman, looked more comfortable when Jacques Kallis replaced Pollock. He drove the all-rounder to the long-off fence to get underway. He trebled his boundary count next over against the expensive Ntini, once through the covers, the other a fortuitous nick through the slips. Ntini's first three overs cost 27.

Kallis was much more searching, luring Samuels into an inside edge, and despairing when he saw another edge from Samuels fly past slips to the third man fence. Klusener replaced Ntini, and bought with him a semblance of calm. Bowling cutters from a short run, with Boucher stood up to the stumps, he was the most accurate of the South African attack.

Gayle and Samuels chalked up their half-century stand in just 62 balls. The last half an hour of the session saw the two batsmen find run making a little more difficult. The build-up of pressure almost told, as Kallis found Samuels' outside edge again, going between the keeper and second slip for four.

The run-rate for much of the morning session stayed well above four however, and South Africa will need, at the very least, to put the brakes on the WIndies this afternoon. At the luncheon break, the West Indies are 101/1, with Gayle 48 and Samuels unbeaten on 31.