Windies crush South Africa in one-day

CENTURION: Skipper Brian Lara and Ramnaresh Sarwan put on a 100-run partnership to guide the West Indies to an impressive seven-wicket victory in the fourth one-day international against South Africa at Centurion Park. Chasing the South African total of 297 for four, which was led by a fine unbeaten 95 from Jacques Kallis, the pair built on a decent start to claim victory for the tourists. The Windies finished on 300 for three from 45 overs, with Sarwan unbeaten on 77 and Lara 59 not out from just 37 balls. Shivnarine Chanderpaul also lashed a fine 92, and the win means the tourists can now draw  the best-of-five series with a win in Wednesday’s last match in Johannesburg.

Windies openers Chris Gayle and Chanderpaul set the tone with some aggressive early battling. Gayle raced to 26 before he was caught by Robin Peterson from the bowling of Shaun Pollock with the score on 31. Ricardo Powell and Chanderpaul advanced the score to 92 before the former was clean bowled by Kallis for 34. Chanderpaul finished with a well crafted 92 before Pollock forced an edge to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, which brought together Sarwan and Lara with the score on 200 for three. The pair’s aggressive attitude paid off and they reached their matching-winning 100 partnership off just 12.3 overs, with a run-rate of eight. An unbeaten fifth-wicket stand of 107 between Kallis and Lance Klusener had put South African in a seemingly strong position earlier in the day. The West Indies toiled tirelessly without much reward against a Proteas team brimming with confidence.

The home side have every right to be happy with their current form, having dismantled their tourists during the recent Test series and then the first of the one-day matches where they cruised to a 209-run victory. Openers Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs put on a partnership of 53 which was broken by Gibbs’ unexpected exit in the 11th over. Gibbs, who had scored 18, was caught by Dwayne Smith at mid-on after mistiming his drive from a Mervyn Dillon delivery. Skipper Smith, celebrating his 23rd birthday, looked set for a big score but fell four short of a half-century when he was beaten by a well-flighted Gayle delivery. The hosts added just 16 more runs to their total when Gayle took a fine catch at gully to dismiss Peterson. Peterson had added a useful 36 until Ravi Rampaul tempted him to lash out. The West Indies bowlers might have sensed the chance to seize further wickets, but Kallis and Boeta Dippenaar soon put South Africa back in the driving seat. Their partnership of 66 ended when Dippenaar was clean bowled by Sarwan for 30. After Dippenaar’s dismissal at 190 for four, Kallis and Klusener took control. Their partnership was brisk, with Kallis finishing five shy of his 100 and Klusener unbeaten on 41. 

Scoreboard

South Africa inns:
GC Smith b Gayle.....................................46
HH Gibbs c Smith b Dillon........................18
RJ Peterson  c Gayle b Rampaul............36
JH Kallis  not out........................................95
HH Dippenaar  b Sarwan..........................30
L Klusener  not out....................................41
EXTRAS  (LB 5, W 14, NB 12)...............31
Total for four wickets............................297
ID NOT BAT:SM Pollock, JA Rudolph, +MV Boucher, A Nel, M Ntini.
Fall of wickets: 53; 108; 124; 190.
BOWLING: Dillon  9-0-58-1 (NB, W1); Collymore  10-0-52-0 (NB1, W2); Hurley 10-0-65-0 (NB6); Gayle 10-0-53-1 (NB2, W3);  Rampaul  9-0-49-1 (NB2, W1); Sarwan 2-0-15-1 (W1).

West Indies inns:
CH Gayle   c Peterson b Pollock..............26
S Chanderpaul c Boucher b Pollock........92
RL Powell  b Kallis.....................................34
RR Sarwan not out....................................77
*BC Lara not out........................................59
EXTRAS (B 4, LB 3, W 5).......................12
Total for three wickets..........................300
DID NOT BAT: : DR Smith, +RD Jacobs, RO Hurley, R Rampaul, M Dillon,   CD Collymore.
Fall of wickets:  31; 92; 200.
BOWLING: Pollock  10-0-40-2 (W1); Nel   6-0-63-0 (W2); Ntini 7-0-51-0; Kallis 7-0-37-1 (W2); Klusener  8-0-51-0; Peterson 6-0-45-0; Smith 1-0-6-0.