ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, 3 May 2005 — West Indian Chris Gayle batted his way to a magnificent 300 not out against South Africa on the fourth day of the fourth Test yesterday.
Gayle’s innings lifted the West Indies to 490 for three in reply to South Africa’s first innings of 588 for six declared. Shivnarine Chanderpaul was 40 not out in a stand of 127.
Gayle has faced 463 balls and hit 34 fours and three sixes in an innings that he began aggressively before settling down to bat with calm authority.
He became the fourth West Indian after Garfield Sobers, Lawrence Rowe and Brian Lara to score a Test triple century.
Gayle’s innings also became the highest score by a West Indian against South Africa, beating the 213 Wavell Hinds scored in the first test of this series in Georgetown.
South Africa squandered a second chance to dismiss Gayle when, on 298, he edged one of Graeme Smith’s off-spinners and was dropped by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. Gayle was also dropped on 80 on Sunday.
His previous highest score was the 204 he made against New Zealand in Grenada in 2002.
Before Gayle’s epic knock the previous highest innings against South Africa was Australian Donald Bradman’s 299 not out, which he scored in Adelaide in 1931-32.
The West Indies resumed on 299 for one and Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan took their partnership to a record 331 before Sarwan’s slashed drive to a ball from fast bowler Monde Zondeki was caught low down by Ashwell Prince at backward point.
Sarwan scored a disciplined 127 off 279 balls with 14 fours and two sixes. His dismissal ended the biggest stand for any wicket that the West Indies have scored against South Africa.
Lara, whose 36th birthday yesterday was heralded in song by a section of the crowd, changed his gloves twice before getting off the mark with the 20th ball he faced.
Lara drove that ball, which was bowled by Zondeki, crisply through point for four.
But that proved to be Lara’s only scoring shot, because nine balls later he sparred at another delivery from Zondeki and edged a catch to Boucher to be out for four.
Lara has amassed world record scores of 400 not out and 375 at the Antigua Recreation Ground where the Test is being played, and the crowd expressed disappointment that he was not able to add to the six centuries already scored in the match.
South Africa have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-Test series.
