WI Seek To Rebound

West Indies, still smarting from their second-highest defeat, will today seek to make amends when they take on hosts South Africa in Port Elizabeth in the second Test of their three-match series.

The regional men, who were blown away inside four days in the first game, which they lost by an innings and 220 runs, will enter the showdown hoping for better batting and bowling displays.

They will, however, have to do without impressive seamer pacer Roach, who after looking the best of the bowlers injured himself in the first encounter and is now nursing an ankle injury.

This is expected to come as a blow for the West Indies, whose supporting pacers, Jerome Taylor and Sheldon Cottrell, were hammered by the home team's batsmen.

Roach has been replaced by in-form and uncapped left-arm pacer Kenroy Peters. However, with fellow quicks Jason Holder and Shannon Gabriel in the squad, it is likely that one of the latter will play.

The West Indies batting also failed miserably in the first Test, and captain Denesh Ramdin will be hoping that front-line batsmen Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels come to the party this time around.

Chanderpaul believes the West Indies can rebound.

"They're the No.1 team in the world, and to be there you have to have the best bowling attack in the world. It's been a learning experience for the youngsters, and I'm sure they'll come out of this stronger," Chanderpaul said ahead of the start of today's match.

"The guys we have here are the best in the Caribbean, that's the reason they're here. They've all scored runs in the past, scored a lot of hundreds in regional cricket. They all have talent and are bright stars for the future."

Also expected to perform with the bat are opening pair Kraigg Brathwaite and Devon Smith, who, after getting starts, failed to carry on.

South Africa, meanwhile, are set to depend once more on their vaunted fast-bowling attack to lead their charge for a series-claiming win.

This will be led by Dale Steyn, who claimed six wickets in the secondinnings of the first Test last week, and Vernon Philander, who snared four in the first to help set up the win.

injury problem

The South Africans have one injury problem in the bowling department. Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson has been ruled out of the Test series after he cut his left forefinger during fielding practice.

Peterson, the only spinner in the squad, will need a fortnight to recover and has been replaced by leg-spinner Imran Tahir.

Captain Hashim Amla, who scored a double, and ace batsman AB de Villiers, who hit a big hundred, will again lead their batting charge.

The South Africans will be without wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, who also suffered an injury in the first encounter.

West Indies (from): Denesh Ramdin (capt), Sulieman Benn, Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite, Devon Smith, Narsingh Deonarine, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Leon Johnson, Kenroy Peters, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton.

South Africa (from): Hashim Amla (capt), AB de Villiers (vice-capt), Alviro Petersen, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, Stiaan van Zyl, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada.

Source: The Bleaner