Lara hails WI ‘special effort’

LONDON: Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul smashed precious half centuries yesterday and lifted the West Indies into the ICC Champions Trophy cricket semi-final with a tense five-wicket win over South Africa at The Oval. “Man-of-the-Match” Sarwan carv-ed out beautifully constructed top-score of 75 and Chanderpaul, hampered by cramps, still managed a brisk unbeaten 51 as the West Indies attained their 247-run target with seven balls to spare. “It was a special effort by everyone,” winning captain Brian Lara said after the match. “Yesterday the guys bowled well, fielded well, and Sarwan and Chanderpaul today were exceptional,” Lara added.

Responding to South Africa’s 246 for six, West Indies, also powered by crucial back-to-back sixes from Ricardo Powell in the 47th over that significantly lessened their task, finished on 249 for five off 48.5 overs. The Caribbean side will now tackle Pakistan in Wednesday’s second semi-final at The Rose Bowl, after England meet Australia in the first semi-final at Edgbaston on Tuesday. Resuming —  from Saturday’s rain stoppage —  at 20 without loss in the morning, West Indies slid into early trouble when Chris Gayle (16) under-edged a wide delivery from Shaun Pollock onto his stumps at 24 for one, and nine runs later, Wavell Hinds (15) succumbed to a dubious leg before wicket decision to Pollock, after thumping Charl Langeveldt for two successive boundaries.

Skipper Lara joined Sarwan and revived his side with classy stroke-play that stabilised the innings and carried the score to 87 for two at the 25-over halfway stage. Pacers Lance Klusener and Jacques Kallis produced stifling spells and while Lara and his vice-captain were keeping wickets in tact, the run-rate began to soar and the South Africans were assuming a favourable position. Trying to accelerate the innings, Lara departed for a well-played 49 off 85 balls with five boundaries, when he missed a drive against spinner Nicky Boje and his middle stump was knocked back at 131 for three, ending a vital 98-run partnership. Sensing that the pressure on the side could increase with Lara’s dismissal, the West Indies began to look for quick runs as they approached the last 10 overs. Chanderpaul spanked Langeveldt for two boundaries in the 38th over, and three overs later, Sarwan lashed one of his three sixes when he danced down the pitch and lifted Boje over the long-off fence.

Sarwan achieved another maximum in the following over when he spectacularly crashed a slower ball from Kallis over the ropes at extra-cover. Pacer Makhaya Ntini, who had bowled only two overs early on, came back for the 44th over and some sharp running between the two Guyanese in that over, left Chanderpaul hobbling with cramps. Hinds took the field as runner for Chanderpaul and South Africa struck soon after when Ntini’s quick, pitched-up inswinger —  the first ball of his second over of the new spell bowled Sarwan, who played across the line. Sarwan’s 75 came off 99 balls and contained two fours and three sixes. His fourth-wicket stand with Chanderpaul gathered 83 runs. Hard-hitting Powell joined Chanderpaul for an important cameo, swinging the game decisively with two consecutive sixes off Pollock. With the West Indies needing 29 runs to win from 22 balls, Powell effortlessly picked Pollock’s low full toss —  lined on his leg-stump —  over the mid-wicket fence.

Pollock’s next delivery was identical and got the same majestic treatment as West Indies fans cheered passionately in the stands. Chanderpaul put the finishing touches on an expensive 19-run over, by flicking the ex-South Africa captain to vacant fine leg for four. Ntini rocked the West Indies again when he bowled Powell for 16, off just 10 balls, but Chanderpaul completed the job with young Dwayne Bravo as his partner. Chanderpaul took a couple of boundaries off Langeveldt in the penultimate over to complete the win, finishing the job when he whipped a short delivery to long leg and got to his half century in the process. Chanderpaul’s 51 came off only 52 balls, with six fours and Bravo ended on four. Bowling for South Africa, Ntini was best with two for 26, and Pollock picked up two for 56. On Saturday, Herschelle Gibbs had led the South Africa batting with 101, while Gayle (3-50) and Ian Bradshaw (2-40) were the chief wicket-takers for the West Indies.