We are sorry – Brathwaite

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite issued a heartfelt apology to Caribbean cricket fans, following the team's dismal batting performance which saw the team lose the second Test to South Africa by 158 runs on Monday.

The West Indies, who resumed the fourth day on 15 without loss seeking 324 runs to win, were blown away for another low total, as they folded for 165, thanks to a rare hat-trick and a five-wicket haul for South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.

Maharaj's hat-trick came after he had the innings' top-scorer Kieran Powell hold out in the deep for a well played 51. He then had Jason Holder caught at bat-pad the very next ball after which wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva edged the hat-trick ball to leg slip, to leave the Windies in tatters at 107 for six.

Maharaj then picked up the wickets of Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales to finish with five for 36 from 17.3 overs, while Man-of-the-Match Kagiso Rabada bagged three for 44.

It was the fourth time that the West Indies failed to get past the 200 mark in the two-Test series, and Brathwaite could only apologise on behalf of the team's poor showing with the bat and his side's two-nil series loss.

"We are very sorry. The fans look forward to the West Indies doing well, but we were disappointing and we promise as batsmen to come back," said Brathwaite.

The West Indies managed only one solitary 50-plus partnership in the series, which came between Powell and Kyle Mayers in the second innings of the second Test, and with that, Brathwaite says the team can only look to improve with another tough Test assignment against Pakistan coming up in August.

"Part of the plan was to bat better and build partnerships and we didn't do well as batsmen and we didn't do our job and we let ourselves and the fans down. We have a couple of weeks before the next series which will be another tough one as well, so we got to come back better, full stop."

According to Brathwaite, it wasn't all doom and gloom for the West Indies, as he believes the bowlers showed real fight in both Test matches, with Kemar Roach finishing the series with nine wickets and young Jayden Seales having a promising debut series as well as the excellent catching and fielding from the team, led by Jason Holder.

"Kemar is a true warrior, but I must commend all the bowlers, they led by example in all four innings and we as batsmen have to take up that mantle."

The teams will now turn their attention to the five-match T20 series which bowls off in Grenada on Saturday.