South Africa slaughter Windies 5-0

Thousands of faithful fans turned up at the Queen’s Park Oval yesterday, hoping for a miracle that the home team would not lose 5-0, but again, irresponsible batting, wayward bowling and again, terrible catching, let the West Indies down, losing every match in the series for the very first time in the Caribbean.

SCORES: West Indies: 138 for seven wickets (20 overs): South Africa 141 for three (19.1 overs).

Overnight rain and early morning showers threatened the fifth and final match of the series. The pitch was covered as rain lashed the Oval. After the second inspection by the umpires at midday, it was decided that the match would start at 2.22 p.m and be reduced to a 20-over affair.

In the meantime, the Oval started to fill up as word got around that the rain had stopped and the match would be played, but on a reduced level. Once again, Shivnarine Chanderpaul called wrong and stand-in South African captain Shaun Pollock had no hesitation in sending in the West Indies to bat first on a wet outfield and a damp wicket.

The West Indies tried something new. They promoted Ramnaresh Sarwan to open the innings with Chris Gayle, demoting the teenaged Xavier Marshall to number eight. What a start West Indies. The home fans had something to cheer as Gayle smashed 28 in no time, with a six and five boundaries.

But then his exuberance showed and he gave away his wicket off Andre Nel at 39. Brian Lara, the Prince of Port-of-Spain came in at number three. Sarwan tried to belt the bowling but holed out to Justin Ontong who came into the side at the expense of Makhaya Nitini. Lara was dropped at deep mid-off when he was nine, but that mistake was not costly as he was caught three runs later.

Chanderpaul was run out for one and again, the West Indies were under pressure. Dwayne Bravo continued to show his ability as an all-rounder, but he got little assistance from Dwayne Smith (5), Courtney Browne (16) and Marshall (6). West Indies reached 138 for seven after 20 overs and everyone, including the die-hard fans, knew that was not enough for a rampaging South African team. AB De Villiers and Boeta Dippenaar opened the innings again for South Africa and posted 46 before De Villiers was caught by Lara at third man off Ian Bradshaw for 30. Dippenaar who was chosen both the Man of the Match and Man of the Series was the luckiest individual on the field yesterday.

He was dropped three times and posted 61 not out to lead South Africa to victory. He was dropped by Corey Collymore on 17, by emergency fieldsman Runako Morton on 35, and again by Morton on 44. He laboured on and ensured that South Africa score the clean sweep. Jacques Kallis made just 18, and Justin Kemp was bowled by Collymore for eight. Mark Boucher joined Dippenaar with the score on 108 and carried South Africa to victory with just five balls remaining.

Thousands of fans stayed to the very end to see history in making — the West Indies whitewashed in a series for the first time in the Caribbean. At the end of the match, the fans never allowed the occasion to reach the cemetery. Trini Posse faithfuls danced and waved, the tassa drums rolled and alcohol flowed like water outside Cricket Wicket Pub on Tragarete Road.

The West Indies had been humbled and now face a daunting task against the visiting Pakistanis in St Vincent in the first of three one-day internationals on Wednesday. The Proteas leave for Barbados today en route to London and back to South Africa.