Gayle hails 'tremendous' win

West Indies end long wait for away success

Last updated: 29th December 2007

Chris Gayle West Indies v South Africa 1st Test Dec 07

Gayle: win in first Test as captain

It's not the series, but it's a win and it feels really good. Beating South Africa in four days on home soil is tremendous, it's my best match so far.

Chris Gayle
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Captain Chris Gayle described it as 'my best match by far' after West Indies finally broke their long away drought with victory in the first Test against South Africa.

Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor each took three wickets as the tourists bowled out South Africa for 260 to claim a 128-run success with a day to spare at St George's Park, Port Elizabeth.

It was West Indies' first ever Test win in South Africa, and their first away from home since beating Zimbabwe in Bulawayo back in November 2003.

"It's not the series, but it's a win and it feels really good," said Gayle, who was leading West Indies for the first time in a Test after being passed fit on the morning of the match following a hamstring injury.

"Beating South Africa in four days on home soil is tremendous, it's my best match so far."

Gayle played down the impact of his leadership, saying: "There were a lot of young players involved, and it was pleasing to see the way they operated under pressure.

"Leadership is important, but every player needs an opportunity and I think sometimes people expect too much from players too soon."

The victory was a particularly sweet moment for all-rounder Dwayne Bravo who finished on the winning side for the first time in his 24th Test.

Didn't bowl well, didn't bat well

Gayle's South African counterpart Graeme Smith gave a damning assessment of his side's performance.

"We let ourselves down in the first innings with the ball and with the bat," he said.

"We allowed them to get to a first-innings total (408) that was always going to make it difficult for us to come back from, and then we didn't bat well (dismissed for 195).

"We didn't get our basics right, and we didn't adapt to the pitch well enough which seems to be a theme with us here.

"The West Indies showed a lot more determination, and they deserve their win."

The second match of the three-Test series starts at Newlands, Cape Town on January 2, live on Sky Sports.