Easterns edged out by Windies
West Indies avoided an embarrassing defeat ahead of the final Test against South Africa, thanks to Vasbert Drakes, who took 3 for 37 to add to his important second-innings stand with Ramnaresh Sarwan
Wisden Cricinfo staff
12-Jan-2004
West Indies avoided an embarrassing defeat ahead of the final Test against South Africa, thanks to Vasbert Drakes, who took 3 for 37 to add to his important second-innings stand with Ramnaresh Sarwan.
Easterns had been set an eminently gettable 285 for victory, but were always up against it after resuming on a wobbly 28 for 2. But with Andre Seymore leading the way, they slowly ate into the target. Seymore added 43 for the third wicket with his captain, Daryl Cullinan (15), and 66 with Pierre De Bruyn (34), and the run-rate continued to rise, even when De Bruyn was caught behind off Ravi Rampaul.
At 196 for 4, Easterns were slight favourites. But Drakes applied the brake when he dismissed Seymore for an excellent 79, and followed up with the wicket of Geoffrey Toyana, caught by Dave Mohammad in the very next over.
Easterns were far from finished though, especially with their first-innings centurion Albie Morkel at the crease. But the tail was unable to provide the support that Morkel required, and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Morkel hammered Drakes over long-on for six, but that was his last shot in anger, as Shivnarine Chanderpaul took the catch that won the match.