Bravo Brian

Andre Nel and Monde Zondeki ended West Indies8217; first innings in clinical fashion on the second day of the third Test against South Afri...

Andre Nel and Monde Zondeki ended West Indies8217; first innings in clinical fashion on the second day of the third Test against South Africa on Friday. The two fast bowlers finished with four wickets each as the home team subsided to 296 all out. South Africa, in reply, were 114-0 after 40 overs in the post-lunch period, with Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers having notched up their individual half-centuries.

Nel and Zondeki needed only 20 balls between them to wrap up the innings after West Indies had resumed on 292-7.

Zondeki struck with the fourth ball of the day when he had Daren Powell three caught behind by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher before a run had been added to the overnight score.

In Zondeki8217;s next over, Fidel Edwards 2 attempted to hook a bouncer but the ball plopped into the hands of Boeta Dippenaar at short-leg.

Nel took the final wicket when Courtney Browne 5 hooked a catch to Zondeki at fine-leg.

Zondeki finished with figures of 4-50 while Nel picked up 4-56.

Edwards took the new ball for West Indies and his first delivery, an attempted yorker to Smith, came close to bowling the South Africa captain. But the openers suffered no further scares as they settled in on a good pitch for batting.

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Brian Lara admitted he is enjoying the freedom of batting without the poisoned chalice of being West Indies captain to burden him.

The batting superstar was stripped of the job following the sponsorship row that threatened to derail the current series against South Africa, and the West Indies Cricket Board handed it to fellow left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul. 8220;I relish the opportunity of going out there and assessing the situation, and trying to get the team in a strong position,8221; Lara told reporters following his epic 176 on the opening day of the third Test yesterday.

8220;It does not matter whether or not I am captain. I am 35-year-old, soon going to be 36, so I am a leader in the team indirectly. I have got to lead the way with the bat, on the field, and anything that 8216;Shiv8217; wants in terms of help, I have to be able to assist him with it.8221; Lara, however, was disappointed with the way he was dismissed and the position of West Indies in the Test.

Brief scores: West Indies: 296 Lara 176, Chanderpaul 53, Nel 4-56, Zondeki 4-50 vs S Africa: 50-0 at lunch.