West Indies were 126/2 at lunch on Day Three of the second Test against South Africa after losing captain Chris Gayle in a stop-start first session at Warner Park on Sunday.
Resuming on 42 with his team on 86/1, Gayle added eight runs before he played a leaden-footed drive to a delivery from Morne Morkel and dragged the ball back onto his stumps. Fellow left-hander Narsingh Deonarine was unbeaten on 50 at lunch, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (9) having joined him at the crease.
Deonarine hit three fours and a six to reach his second Test half-century.
Fast bowler Morkel, who claimed the wicket of Travis Dowlin on Saturday, had figures of 2/36 for the tourists, who posted a formidable 543/6 declared in their first innings and are 1-0 ahead in the series.
Play began half an hour late after a sharp shower left a few damp spots on the outfield.
Gayle reached his 50 off 83 balls but his 93-run, two-hour stand with Deonarine was cut short soon afterwards by Morkel. Deonarine batted throughout a morning session which was limited to 17.4 overs because of rain, problems with bowler s footholds and a nasty blow to Chanderpaul that caused a lengthy delay. Chanderpaul, despite being floored trying to duck a Dale Steyn bouncer, survived to be unbeaten at the interval.
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Bolt will run here: Bhanot
AGE CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi
June 19: The Commonwealth Games organising committee have not given up hopes of luring Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt to Delhi for October 3 to 13 event. A day after Bolt’s manager Glen Mills made it clear that Bolt will be giving the CWG a miss, OC spokesperson Lalit Bhanot insisted that the gold-medal winning sprinter will be coming down to India.
“He will surely come. There is still a lot of time left and we are confident Bolt will participate in the Commonwealth Games,” Bhanot told reporters on Sunday.
Doubts about Bolt’s participation in the Games were first raised by his agent Ricky Simms earlier this year, but Mills’ statement was the first official confirmation that he will be absent.
The OC are also not opposed to seeking CGF president Mike Fennell’s intervention to ensure the superstar’s presence. “Of course, we will definitely look into the option of requesting Fennell to help us in regard to Bolt’s participation,” said Bhanot, who is also Indian Olympic Association general secretary.