Rudolph a doubt for final one-dayer

South Africa's preparations for the final one-day international against West Indies has been hampered with the news that Jacques Rudolph is a doubt for the game with a groin strain.

Rudolph will undergo a fitness test before tomorrow's match at the Wanderers. If he fails, either Morne van Wyk or Ashwell Prince will replace him in a game South Africa need to win to seal the series.

Having led the side to 3-0 win in the Test series, and to victory in the opening two games of the one-dayers, Graeme Smith, the captain, admitted that he never thought the last match would decide the series.

"We backed ourselves to chase down 169 in Durban, but it didn't happen because of the rain and then we didn't bowl very well in Pretoria," he said. "But holding a 2-1 lead with only the last match to come creates a spectacle and gives us the chance to perform well in front of a big crowd."

Shivnarine Chanderpaul led West Indies' run-chase in the fourth match as they won with a comfortable five overs to spare. "We've chatted with the bowlers quite a lot since then," said Smith. "We spoke about dealing with emotions and pressure. On Sunday we simply gave them too many chances to cut and hook. The guys have to focus on every ball. It's about bowling to a pattern and going back to the basics."

Smith also suggested that an element of resignation from West Indies may have helped their cause at Pretoria. "I think they've reached the point on this tour where they've got nothing to lose and probably feel that South Africa has everything to lose," he said. "When you feel like that you can play with such freedom that you either make 350 or you get dismissed for next to nothing."

South Africa Graeme Smith (capt), Mark Boucher (wk0, Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Lance Klusener, Albie Morkel, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince, Jacques Rudolph, Morne van Wyk.

West Indies Brian Lara (capt), Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ridley Jacobs (wk), Fidel Edwards, Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon, Ravi Rampaul, Dwayne Smith, Ryan Hurley, Ian Bradshaw Ricardo Powell, Kurt Wilkinson.