Princely knock takes South Africa to safety

A B de Villiers and Ashwell Prince added 134 runs for the sixth wicket as South Africa recovered from a precarious 145 for five to reach 342 for nine at lunch on day three against the West Indies in the third Test.

Prince was unbeaten on 78 after a marathon 262-ball knock as South Africa crawled to a first-innings lead of 111.  De Villiers was however dismissed by Sulieman Benn with the day belonging to the left-arm spinner, who claimed five for 77 runs off 46 overs.

Benn, playing in his 15th Test, continued to trouble the South African batsmen as he first got rid of the dangerous Jacques Kallis before Prince and de Villiers consolidated. But after the partnership was broken, Benn and Kemar Roach ensured that the visitors’ tail did not wag as they went at the interval with one wicket in hand.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 29^th, 2010.