West Indies struggle

When bad light stopped play two hours before the scheduled close, West Indies had struggled to 77 for three after being sent in to bat. The tourists, 2-0 down in a five-Test series, had hoped to use the match against South Africa's second stringers to play themselves into form ahead of the third Test which starts in Durban on December 26.

Openers Stuart Williams and Clayton Lambert both failed while acting captain aptain Carl Hooper was out for 24 just when it seemed he was on the verge of a major innings.

Fast bowlers Lance Klusener and Makhaya Ntini, trying to win back their places in the Test side, both bowled impressively. Klusener, who missed the start of the season after an ankle operation, claimed the wicket of Williams, caught at gully, in an opening spell of 1-8 in seven overs. Ntini, whose omission from the opening Tests caused a storm of political controversy over an all-white South African team, had Lambert caught behind chasing a wide delivery and had figures of 1-12 in five overs.

The start of the match, already put back until 1:00 p.m. (1300GMT) to enable members of the South Africa A side to reach Pietermaritzburg after playing in provincial floodlit matches Friday night, was further delayed by an hour because of a wet outfield.

West Indian tour captain Brian Lara decided to miss the match, together with key fast bowlers Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh.

Hooper made 10 runs off the first three balls he faced and looked in splendid form, with four boundaries in an innings of 24 off 32 balls before he was deceived by a slower delivery from medium-pacer Justin Kemp.

Left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul benefitted from some loose deliveries from left-arm spinner Paul Adams and made 27 not out before play was halted. Adams is the only member of the A side included in the South African squad for the third Test.