Harmer sparks Windies collapse

South Africa require another 115 runs to win after Simon Harmer took four wickets to wrap up the West Indies second innings on day four, reports Jon Cardinelli at Newlands.

Harmer finished with figures of 4-82 in the second innings, and 7-153 in the match. The off-spinner’s exceptional performance late on day four helped the South Africans rip through the West Indies’ lower order, and limit the visitors to a lead of 123 runs.When play resumes on day five, South Africa will require just 115 runs to win with nine wickets still intact. Dean Elgar and Faf du Plessis will return to the batting crease, as Alviro Petersen was dismissed by Sulieman Benn in the last over of the day.Two full sessions were lost due to a wet outfield on day four, and when play resumed, Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul dug in to defy the hosts for as many as 18 overs. And then, just when it seemed like the West Indies were cruising, Harmer struck. The tourists collapsed, losing their last seven wickets for 33 runs.Morné Morkel bowled exceptionally well during his first spell, and was unlucky not to take more than the one wicket. His bouncers were well directed, with Samuels wearing one brutal delivery on the body, and Chanderpaul dropping to the pitch in an attempt to evade another.After surviving that spell by Morkel, Samuels went after Harmer. Not all of the strokes played during this period were convincing, but they were effective. That four-over spell cost Harmer and South Africa 30 runs.Harmer was more threatening in his second spell, and did enough to find the edge of Chanderpaul’s bat. AB de Villiers’s dropped the catch, but it wouldn’t take South Africa much longer to break this threatening partnership. In the very next over, Samuels tried to hit Harmer over long-on again, and was caught by Elgar in the deep.

Dale Steyn struck twice to remove Jermaine Blackwood and West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin. At the other end, Harmer claimed the scalps of Jason Holder and Jerome Taylor. The West Indies’ second innings then came to an end when Chanderpaul was run out by Temba Bavuma.

No rain is forecast for day five. In an attempt to make up for some of the time lost on day four, play will commence at 10:00. The Proteas are well on course to win this game, and the series.

DAY FOUR SCORECARD
West Indies 1st innings – 329 (Jermaine Blackwood 56, Leon Johnson 54, Dale Steyn 4-78, Simon Harmer 3-71)
South Africa 1st innings – 421 (AB de Villiers 148, Faf du Plessis 68, , Marlon Samuels 2-68, Jason Holder 2-87)
West Indies 2nd innings  – 215 (Marlon Samuels 74,  Shivnarine Chanderpaul 50, Simon Harmer 4-82, Dale Steyn 3-75)
South Africa 2nd innings – 9-1 (Dean Elgar 5 not out, Sulieman Benn 1-0)
South Africa need 115 runs to win