South Africa and West Indies were frustrated by rain as Thursday's first ODI at Buffalo Park was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The day-night match in East London was in doubt once the toss was delayed, and conditions showed little sign of significant improvement.
Although rain briefly abated, showers soon returned and the contest was called off.
The second leg of the three-match series is due to be played at the same ground on Saturday.
South Africa will look to maintain their ODI momentum ahead of the Cricket World Cup, but they are set to contend with key injuries as they take on West Indies in a three-match 50-over series, which starts on Thursday.
The Proteas wrapped up a convincing 2-0 Test series win against West Indies earlier in the month, having beaten world champions England 2-1 in an ODI series before that.
While Shukri Conrad has already taken charge of the Test side, this latest series will be the first for new white-ball coach Rob Walter having completed his term with New Zealand's Central Stags.
Walter will be without important players, however, after Keshav Maharaj ruptured his left Achilles in the Test series. Wiaan Mulder is also unavailable with a left side strain, with Tabraiz Shamsi and Wayne Parnell replacing the pair.
South Africa will be favourites given their form, but all-rounder Bjorn Fortuin is certain his side will take nothing for granted when they face off in the first ODI against West Indies since the 2019 World Cup.
"We are going to need to be at our best in all three aspects of the game to beat them, and that's what we are working towards," Fortuin said.
"They are a dangerous side on all fronts, whether with the ball or bat. We know they are supreme athletes on the field.
"The boys are coming off a successful Test series, and we will be looking to build on that and build some momentum."
West Indies have also made leadership changes prior to the series, with Shai Hope taking over the captaincy from Nicholas Pooran.
Pooran remains in the side and will look to form a key part of the middle order alongside Roston Chase and Shamarh Brook.
Interim coach Andre Coley's side have won just one of their last eight ODIs and have brought in former leg-spinner Samuel Badree to serve as assistant coach as they look to improve before the World Cup in October.
De Kock chasing milestone
Quinton de Kock may no longer play Test cricket, but the wicketkeeper's supreme batting talents are still a vital cog in South Africa's limited-over successes.
The 30-year-old has played 137 ODIs and is just 99 runs away from becoming the seventh men's player to score 6,000 runs for South Africa in the format.
If he reaches the milestone in his first match of the series, De Kock will become the third-fastest player overall to that mark in the history of ODIs, behind only Hashim Amla and Virat Kohli.
West Indies' ambitions rest on Hope
New skipper Hope has been a bright spark in an otherwise drab period for West Indies in ODI cricket.
The Windies will be relying on his top-order exploits as they look to turn around their form, with his average of 49 in men's ODIs the best of any batsman to play at least six innings for West Indies.
The role of head coach for the West Indies Senior Men’s teams will be split into two separate positions, Cricket West Indies has announced.
Recruitment start immediately for a Red Ball Head Coach for Test and ‘A’ Team cricket, as well as a White Ball Head Coach for One-Day Internationals (ODI) and T20 International (T20I) cricket, the governing body said in a statement released on Wednesday.
"After recently completing an independent review of our 2022 ICC World Cup performance, which included a closer look at the roles of the current Head Coach position, we believe it is now necessary to split the role and engage separate coaches for red and white ball formats,” said CWI’s Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams.
“The increased frequency of back-to-back multi-format tours combined with the specific demands of the respective formats no longer provides enough time for one individual to adequately plan, prepare and review across bilateral series and franchise itineraries that are so condensed.
“Separating the roles will also provide the head coaches with more time to oversee players’ ongoing development away from tours directly, and through increased engagement and planning with suitable high-performance programmes and coaches.”
According to Adams, the decision to separate the head coaching roles stems from the recommendation by the independent three-member World Cup Review Group that was appointed by CWI to conduct a comprehensive review of the West Indies Men’s team’s early exit from at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia last year.
The group was chaired by Justice Patrick Thompson Jr., a High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and included Brian Lara, the West Indies batting legend, along with former South African, Pakistan, and Sri Lankan international coach, Mickey Arthur.
The position of West Indies Men’s Head Coach became vacant when Phil Simmons resigned following the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, and subsequently relinquished the post following the end of the West Indies tour of Australia last December.
Andre Coley is the current interim head coach for the recent Test series in Zimbabwe and the current multi-format tour of South Africa.
The West Indies Senior Men’s Selection Panel on Tuesday named Roston Chase as the replacement for Obed McCoy in the 15-member squad for the T20 International Series (T20I) against South Africa starting on March 25.
McCoy was named in the original squad subject to medical clearance but has been ruled out of the upcoming series due to a knee injury.
Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes, said: “Roston gets an opportunity in the upcoming series as we see him being a versatile player who can be called upon at any stage in the game. We want to wish Obed the best with his rehabilitation programme and hope to see him back in West Indies colours soon.”
The three-match T20I Series bowls off on Saturday 25 March at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
The second match will be at the same venue the following day, while the third match will be at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Tuesday 28 March.
The T20I Series is preceded by a three-match One-Day International (ODI) Series.
The first two matches will be at Buffalo Park in East London on March 16 and March 18, with the final contest on March 21 at JB Marks Oval Potchefstroom.
T20I SQUAD
Rovman Powell (Captain)
Kyle Mayers (Vice Captain)
Shamarh Brooks
Yannic Cariah
Johnson Charles
Roston Chase
Sheldon Cottrell
Jason Holder
Akeal Hosein
Alzarri Joseph
Brandon King
Nicholas Pooran
Raymon Reifer
Romario Shepherd
Odean Smith
West Indies white ball match schedule in South Africa
Thursday, 16 March: 1st ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)
Saturday, 18 March: 2nd ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)
Tuesday, 21 March: 3rd ODI at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom
Saturday, 25 March: 1st T20Is at SuperSport Park, Centurion
Sunday, 26 March: 2nd T20I at SuperSport Park, Centurion
Tuesday, 28 March: 3rd T20I at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (night)
South Africa clinched a 2-0 series victory over West Indies as the tourists collapsed on day four of the second and final Test.
The Proteas prevailed by 87 runs in the first Test and their triumph was much more emphatic in Johannesburg as the Windies wilted miserably in pursuit of a mammoth target of 391.
Having resumed on 287-7, South Africa and second-innings hero Temba Bavuma (172) departed in short order for 321, but as was the case in the first innings, they quickly had the measure of the Windies with ball in hand.
Gerald Coetzee, playing in just his second Test match, led the way with 3-37 as the Windies were bowled out for 106 in a 284-run defeat, the sole concern for South Africa an injury to Keshav Maharaj, who had to be taken off on a stretcher.
Skipper Bavuma was finally dismissed by Jason Holder, who also claimed the final wicket of the innings, Kagiso Rabada caught and bowled after hitting two sixes as part of his quickfire 16 off 10 balls.
Former captain Holder was one of just four Windies batters to reach double figures in a chase that never gained momentum.
After skipper Kraigg Brathwaite went for 18, lbw to Rabada, the Windies offered precious little resistance, going from 21-0 to 34-6. Raymon Reifer went for a duck two balls after Brathwaite, and Roston Chase also failed to trouble the scorers.
Maharaj was injured in the act of celebrating after Kyle Mayers was given out lbw by the DRS, and Holder (19) and Joshua Da Silva (34) did stem the tide somewhat thereafter.
It was only brief respite, however, as the lower order's fight soon dissipated, allowing South Africa to wrap up a dominant win.
Windies wait goes on
Defeat here means the Windies have still not won a Test in South Africa since a 128-run victory in December 2007.
This team was ill-equipped to end that wait, never mind win by such a large margin as just over 15 years ago. The gulf in class was a wide one.
Joburg joy
By contrast, the victory for South Africa marked their 20th in Tests at The Wanderers.
It is the third venue, after Newlands in Cape Town (27) and SuperSport Park in Centurion (22), where the Proteas have prevailed in 20 or more Tests.
Temba Bavuma led South Africa's resurgence against West Indies after a slow start to finish day three of the second Test with a lead of 356 with three wickets remaining.
A strong opening session for the visitors provided hope with the deficit just 138 at lunch, with South Africa already four wickets down at the Wanderers.
However, captain Bavuma turned the tide with a valiant display with the bat to put his side in cruise control and finished the day unbeaten on 171.
Just four runs shy of 3,000 in his Test career, Bavuma could start day four with two landmarks if he adds another 29 on Saturday.
Kyle Mayers struck twice early as West Indies took momentum, with Kemar Roach then landing the big wicket of Aiden Markram (18) as he forced an edge to Joshua Da Silva.
Bavuma led South Africa's recovery, putting on 37 with Ryan Rickelton (10) for the fourth wicket, but Raymon Reifer removed Rickelton in the last over before lunch to end the session on a high.
The Proteas responded in the second session, despite losing Heinrich Klaasen for 14, with Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder (42) adding a partnership of 103.
Mulder eventually fell to Alzarri Joseph after pulling a short ball to Tagenarine Chanderpaul, before Simon Harmer (19) was trapped lbw by Jason Holder.
South Africa will resume on 287-7 on day four assuming they do not declare overnight, with Bavuma presumably eager to complete his first ever Test double century.
Unstoppable Bavuma
When the South Africa captain walked out to bat, his side were 8-2 and had already lost Markram, but Bavuma repaired the innings and established a commanding lead with his second Test ton.
His tally leaves him sat on 2,996 runs in his Test career, with a landmark on the cards if South Africa do not declare overnight.
Mayers' strong start
Dismissing Dean Elgar (5) and Tony de Zorzi (1) inside the opening eight overs, Mayers looked to have put West Indies on course to clawing their way back into the Test.
He only conceded 25 runs from his 13 overs, but the tourists had no answer to Bavuma's stunning display.
Brian Lara is the greatest batsman the West Indies has ever produced. The 53-year-old Trinidadian terrorized bowling attacks all around the world from 1990 all the way to his last game for the regional side against England in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.
During that span, Lara scored 11,953 runs in 131 Tests at an average of 52.88 including 34 hundreds and 48 fifties, the biggest of those hundreds coming at the Antigua Recreation Ground against England in 2004 when he scored a world record 400*.
His ODI numbers were equally impressive as he scored 10,405 runs in 299 matches at an average of 40.48 with 19 hundreds and 63 fifties.
Now, Lara hopes to give back to West Indies cricket as a member of the support staff of the senior Men’s team.
Before the team’s ongoing Test series against South Africa, Lara joined the coaching staff as a performance mentor.
Lara described the feeling of wearing the West Indies colors again in an interview with Cricket West Indies on Thursday.
“These are the colors that made me who I am today. It’s a different set of emotions. I remember several years back when I was a youngster living out my dream spending 17 years plying my trade in these very colors,” he said.
“Now, it’s a bit different being a member of staff, looking at present day players and trying to implement a style of play and a philosophy of the game that was successful in the past. I feel that, in time, we will see the benefits of this,” he added.
The former West Indies captain also described what his role will be with the team moving forward.
“I think it’s pretty simple. We have to improve our performances and not just sporadically, we have got to do it on a consistent level and I’m not going to pretty it up. That is what I’m here to do as a performance mentor; to get the players to play better cricket more consistently and to get the West Indies back competitive with the best cricket playing countries in the world,” Lara said.
Jason Holder's defiant 81 not out helped West Indies recover from an early collapse against South Africa, but the tourists still trail by 73 after day two of the second Test.
The former captain arrived at the crease with his side at 116-6, after a Proteas attack led by Gerald Coetzee had torn through their top order at Wanderers Stadium.
With a diligently impressive performance however, the former number one all-rounder in the world dug his side out of dire straits for a final total of 251 all out in Johannesburg.
His efforts will have spared the blushes of Kraigg Brathwaite's men, though Temba Bavuma's side will still feel they have the advantage heading into the rest of the week.
West Indies had made the best possible start to the first session, dismissing South Africa for a final total of 320 after taking their remaining three wickets for the loss of just nine runs.
Any hope of mounting a steadfast pursuit though appeared to crumble quickly though, with the loss of openers Kraigg Brathwaite (17) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (1) inside the first dozen overs.
Coetzee, who finished with figures of 3-41, subsequently removed Reifer and Blackwood in quick succession, reducing the visitors to 51-4.
Roston Chase (28) and Kyle Mayers (29) mustered a half-century partnership before they too were dismissed, leaving West Indies over 200 behind with just four wickets in hand.
South Africa likely had high hopes of finishing off the tail with little further effort, but they did not count on the stubborn resistance offered by Holder, who guided their fightback on the front foot.
A 58-run stand for the 10th wicket saw him drag West Indies within three figures of the Proteas, before Gudakesh Motie was caught off Simon Harmer for 17 to curtail their resistance.
Dean Elgar (3 not out) and Aiden Markram (1 not out) added four without loss for the hosts in the final three overs of the day, but at stumps, they could yet come to rue their inability to maintain their cushion.
Holder sets number eight record
Arriving as the late-breaking cavalry for his team, not only did the 31-year-old put his side firmly back in contention but he entered the history books too.
His score of 81 is the best by a batter at number eight in a Test at Wanderers Stadium, exceeding the 78 set by Mark Boucher for South Africa against Pakistan in 1998.
Coetzee justifies inclusion
Having only made his Test bow in the pair's first game last month, it was a less-than-auspicious debut for the 22-year-old, with three wickets across both innings.
Here, he matched that figure in less overs, though his ultimate average was hurt by West Indies' late resistance.
Powerhouse performances with the bat from Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi helped South Africa to a solid total of 311-7 on day one of their second Test against West Indies.
The duo both came close to centuries for the hosts at Wanderers Stadium, with individual scores of 96 and 85 each forming the bedrock of a sturdy Proteas attack.
But a superb third session with ball in hand from the tourists saw them take five wickets for just 64 runs to keep this encounter firmly in the balance heading into day two.
After an 87-run win in the pair's first Test at Centurion, Temba Bavuma's hosts are looking to wrap up a series victory in Johannesburg this week.
Having won the toss at the top of the day and elected to bat, they certainly looked as if they could build a convincing advantage at the crease.
Though Dean Elgar (42) fell short of a half-century, both opening partner Markram and third man De Zorzi crossed the mark with composed innings of their own.
West Indies kept the run rate from dramatic levels, they looked to be frustrated for wickets after taking only two across the first two sessions.
But after dismissing Bavuma (28) shortly after starting the final period of the day, they found a tighter response to keep South Africa from building a head of steam.
Gudakesh Motie (3-75) led the attack, with Jason Holder (1-39) and Alzarri Joseph (1-59) helping them to regather some equilibrium.
Kyle Mayers struck twice in the final three overs to tip the scales back towards the tourists at the end of the day, dismissing Wiaan Mulder (12) and Simon Harmer (1) to leave Heinrich Klaasen not out at the crease on 17.
Promise for De Zorzi aids Proteas
After a less-than-auspicious debut Test saw him post 28 and a duck at Centurion, the number three will be delighted to have answered his early critics.
With 11 boundaries in his knock from 155 deliveries, he worked diligently to help South Africa build their total across the day.
Motie slows matters down
The left-arm slow bowler was integral to the tourists keeping themselves in the first innings before the final session though, continuing to deliver key wickets at big moments.
He dismissed the top three of Elgar, Markram and De Zorzi, one in each session, with a fine performance on a track that proved favourable to batters.
Samuel Badree has been named as an Assistant Coach of the West Indies senior Men’s team for the upcoming six-match white ball series against South Africa. Cricket West Indies (CWI) today announced that the former West Indies leg-spinner will join the squad for the three One-Day Internationals (ODI) and three T20 Internationals (T20I) from 16 to 28 March.
Badree said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be asked by CWI to join the team and work with this great group of players in South Africa for the white ball leg of the tour.” Badree, who has previously assisted CWI as a spin bowling consultant and worked in the IPL, believes this opportunity to be “a continuation and an extension of that”.
He added: “I look forward to catching up with the players, some who I played with and most I already know, as we seek to acquit ourselves well on what is expected to be a challenging tour of South Africa. I also look forward to sharing my knowledge and experiences with the players as we look to bring some positive results to our loyal fans.”
Jimmy Adams, CWI’s Director of Cricket said: “I’m happy that Samuel is going to be spending time with our white ball teams in South Africa. He brings plenty of international experience and a strong desire to assist our slow bowlers in becoming world class. We believe this combination makes him ideally placed to add tremendous value to our support staff in South Africa, and specifically for our slow bowlers."
Badree is a two-time T20 World Cup winner. He played a vital role in both T20 World Cup winning campaigns in Sri Lanka in 2012 and in India in 2016. He played 52 T20Is and picked up 56 wickets between 2012 and 2018 – during which time he was the world’s Number 1 ranked bowler in the T20 format.
West Indies are presently in South Africa playing in a two-match Test Series ahead of the white ball Series. The first Test at SuperSports Park in Centurion ended last Thursday. The Proteas won by 87 runs. The second Test starts on Wednesday 8 March at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.
The white ball matches start on 16 March with the first ODI at Buffalo Park in East London. The T20Is start on 25 March at SuperSports Park.
West Indies white ball match schedule
16 March: 1st ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)
18 March: 2nd ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)
21 March: 3rd ODI at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom
25 March: 1st T20Is at SuperSport Park, Centurion
26 March: 2nd T20I at SuperSport Park, Centurion
28 March: 3rd T20I at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (night)
With the second and final Test between the West indies and South Africa scheduled to start on Wednesday in Johannesburg, West Indies Test Captain Kraigg Brathwaite is urging his team to build on positives he saw in the first Test last week.
The tourists lost the first Test by 87 runs but had some bright spots, including bowling out the hists in both innings.
“I think it was very good for us as a bowling group to get 20 wickets. That was very important. I think it shows we are not far off,” Brathwaite told reporters in a pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
“It gave us that belief that we could do it and just have to keep believing and it doesn’t matter which team we’re playing, we’ve always got to believe. We had a lot of positives in the first Test and we must just keep improving,” Brathwaite added.
With that being said, the Windies had another tough game with the bat, being dismissed for 212 and 159 in their two turns at the crease.
Brathwaite says this has to change if they are to tie the series.
“As a batting unit, we have got to improve. We have got to spend more time out there. South Africa will come hard, no matter the eleven they play, so we must be ready for it,” he said.
“South Africa is a tough team at home and with a little more application from the batsmen, myself included, we could do well here in these conditions,” he added.
South Africa have turned to spinners Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer as they attempt to secure a 2-0 Test series whitewash of West Indies at the Wanderers.
The Proteas started a new era with Temba Bavuma as captain and Shukri Conrad head coach with an 87-run victory over the Windies at SuperSport Park.
Bavuma has since been dropped from the Twenty20 International team and replaced as skipper by Aiden Markram.
South Africa start the second and final Test in Johannesburg on Wednesday knowing third place in the World Test Championship is there for the taking.
Maharaj and Harmer come into the side along with batter Ryan Rickelton and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder.
Anrich Nortje was ruled out with a groin injury, while Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy and Keegan Petersen also drop out of the team.
The tourists are unchanged despite crumbling to 159 all out in the first Test, Kagiso Rabada doing much of the damage with brilliant figures of 6-50.
Both sides turn their attention to trying to qualify for this year's 50-over World Cup after this match, with South Africa not playing again in the longest format until taking on India in December.
West Indies have won only one of their 16 Tests in South Africa, that coming back in December 2007 and have lost 13 of those matches.
South Africa will be striving to secure a 20th Test win at the Wanderers, a tally they have already reached at Newlands and SuperSport Park.
The Proteas have won both Tests against the Windies at this venue, the last of those triumphs coming in 2003.
Opportunity knocks for Rickelton
Rickelton returns for his fourth Test and Conrad says the 26-year-old left-hander has earned the chance to show he belongs in the middle order.
He said: "Rickelton deserves his crack at it.
"I still feel Keegan has a big role to play in the middle order rather than at the top of the order. I think his best position might be number five going forward in terms of the way he plays.
"But again this Test batting unit is still a work in progress."
Reliable Roach
Kemar Roach has produced the goods time and again for West Indies and he put them in the hunt to win the first Test by taking 5-47 in the second innings, with the Proteas skittled out for only 116.
The paceman has a strike rate of 42.3 against South Africa in Tests, his best against any team in the format.
Anrich Nortje has been released from South Africa's squad ahead of the second Test against West Indies due to a groin issue.
Paceman Nortje took 6-84 as the Proteas claimed an 87-run victory in the first Test of the two-match series at Centurion.
However, the 29-year-old will not feature at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg after he after experienced what South Africa described as "mild groin discomfort" during the first Test.
South Africa have not called up a replacement for Nortje, who has taken 70 wickets in the longest format since making his debut in October 2019.
The second Test starts on Wednesday, with three ODIs and as many T20Is to follow.
West Indies bowler Kemar Roach and wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva created a bit of history during the West Indies’ 87-run loss to South Africa at Centurion last week.
In a match that lasted less than three days, the accomplishments of both players were overshadowed by the loss but were no less significant in the rich history of great performances by players from the West Indies.
The 34-year-old Roach had match figures of 1-71 and 5-47 during the match in which he picked up his 260th Test wicket and became the fifth most successful West Indies bowler behind Courtney Walsh (519), Curtly Ambrose (405) Malcolm Marshall (376) and Lance Gibbs (305).
His five-wicket haul in the second innings that helped bowl South Africa out for 116, was the 11th of his career that has so far lasted 76 matches since he made his debut against Bangladesh in July 2009.
Joshua Da Silva, meanwhile, playing in his 21st Test, joined now retired West Indies wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs in a pantheon of five ‘keepers who have had seven dismissals in one innings. Other than Jacobs, the only other players to have accomplished the feat were Pakistan’s Wasim Bari, England’s Bob Taylor, and New Zealand’s Ian Smith.
Both players will get the chance to add to their records when the second Test between the West Indies and South Africa bowls off on Thursday, March 8 at Wanderers. The West Indies will be hoping to produce a better performance with the bat and level the series that South Africa now leads 1-0.
West Indies Vice-Captain Jermaine Blackwood called out his team’s batting performance after their 87-run loss in the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
The tourists recovered from a scary situation in South Africa’s first innings when they orchestrated a batting collapse which saw the hosts go from 226-1 to 342 all out.
In the Windies’ first innings, they had their own collapse, going from 169-3 to 212 all out. The West Indian bowlers were then excellent, restricting South Africa to 116 all out in their second innings leaving the Windies needing 247 for victory.
In the end, the regional side put on a poor batting performance, being bowled out for 159 in 41 overs and losing the Test by 87 runs.
“I think we could have been a bit more selective,” said Blackwood, who top scored in the second innings with 79, to reporters after the match.
“We got out too easy and soft. If we stayed positive, I thought we could have got the runs,” he added.
The tourists will have six days before the start of the second Test in Johannesburg and Blackwood says they will have to fix these problems quickly if they are level the series.
“Obviously, it’s something that we have to learn quickly because we are playing against a quality bowling attack,” Blackwood said.
“Once we can go out there and express ourselves, put away the bad balls and keep out the good balls, I think we can beat South Africa but, as a team, we have to believe we can do that,” he added.
The second Test bowls off on March 8.
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