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Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada's dream third morning saw them combine for six wickets to dismiss the West Indies for 162, giving the Proteas an innings and 63-run win in the first Test in St Lucia on Saturday.
SCORECARD | West Indies v SA, 1st Test
While Rabada (5/34) deservedly took the accolades while collecting his 10th five-wicket haul in Tests, Maharaj made the game breaking incisions when the West Indies thought they had a chance of taking the game to lunch with few losses.
Maharaj (2/23) removed Jason Holder (4) and the resolute Roston Chase (62) to leave the West Indies reeling, while Rabada prised out Jermaine Blackwood (13) and Rahkeem Cornwall (0) to complete what was a miserable session and Test for the hosts.
Joshua Da Silva (9) was properly softened up and worked over by Rabada and became his fifth wicket when he missed a straight one.
Anrich Nortje (3/46) finished off the innings when he snared Jayden Seales (3).
The West Indies, who were shot out for a record-low 97 by South Africa in the first innings, showed better fight and application in the second innings.
There was too much to do after Quinton de Kock's freewheeling 141* carried South Africa to 322 in their only innings.
The deficit of 225 was always going to be tall mountain for the hosts and it needed Chase to at least bat for the bulk of the morning session.
That he did, but when he fell seven minutes before what should have been the lunch break, it was the blow that knocked the wind from the West Indies's sternum.
Chase initially had a stubborn alliance with Blackwood and followed that up with Holder, but errors in judgement cost the hosts the session and the game.
They had resumed the day on 82/4 and needed to get through the session unscathed before they could entertain thoughts of batting through the day.
SA needed just 30 minutes of the session to make an inroad and also get into Blackwood's head.
After having a decision review system reprieve, Blackwood's red mist got the better of him when he punched a Rabada delivery straight to Rassie van der Dussen at short cover.
Considering the almighty battle he waged just to stay in, it was a bad cop-out from the talented West Indian vice-captain who again showed an inability to stay in for a fight.
It wasted hard work where Chase and Blackwood were sorely tested, but looked to have survived the early testing spell.
The 46-run stand between Chase and Blackwood was comfortably the West Indies' best of the match and while it may not have saved them the game, it displayed the fight that was missing in the first innings when they were rolled for 97.
Their fifth wicket in the second innings fell on that score after Blackwood's rush of blood to the head.
Chase, whose straight driving against the quicks was a thing of beauty while his judgement against spin was exemplary, raised his ninth Test 50 off 122 balls.
The judgement Chase showed was desperately missing from Holder, who shouldered arm to the first ball he faced from Maharaj.
His wicket saw the West Indies slip to 125/6 and in danger of not seeing out the session.
That they didn't do as Rabada's pace was too much for the hapless hosts, who'll have two extra days to mull over improvements and reinforcements for the second Test that starts on Friday at the same ground.
