West Indies face uphill battle to save Fourth Test

A captain is judged by many things, not least his ability to lead by example. That is exactly what South Africa's Shaun Pollock has done the entire series against the West Indies, but on Monday in the fourth Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground he offered another yardstick - a penchant for the risky and adventurous, in the belief that fortune more often than not favours the brave. Fortune, plus skill and professionalism, of course.

Setting the West Indies 323 to win off 131 overs looked generous. But by the close on day four the home side had slumped to 101-4, and short of a Brian Lara (5 not out) batting miracle (and something close to the miraculous from his supporting cast, of whom Ramnaresh Sarwan is 4 not out) the match - and the series - will be South Africa's before we go to the fifth test in Jamaica.

After a positive start to the run-chase from Chris Gayle (12) and Wavell Hinds (29) which helped the West Indies take tea at 32 without loss, four wickets in the final session swung the momentum South Africa's way, perhaps the last swing of the pendulum in a match in which the visitors have always had their noses slightly in front.

Left-arm spinner Nicky Boje was the trump card on a wicket offering generous turn and bounce. Gayle and Hinds both fell to catches close to the bat off the man from Bloemfontein, the former a straightforward decision, Hinds perhaps harshly ordered on his way as the ball appeared to strike pad only.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (15) was then trapped on the back foot in front of his stumps by Boje after a solid start. If that wicket had an air of finality about it, it was only reinforced by the departure of captain Carl Hooper.

Hooper (21) promoted himself to number four in a bid to counter Boje's turn from the rough outside the off-stump to the left-handers and provide greater stability to the innings, but will be furious with the way he gave his wicket away. Not for the first time in this series he looked in glorious touch, but when he tried to pull a quicker delivery from Lance Klusener through midwicket he succeeded only in splicing the ball to Neil McKenzie at mid-on.

Earlier, Pollock and Jacques Kallis batted extemely positively after the lunch as the South Africans looked to set up the declaration, the belligerence in stark contrast to the negative batting and bowling which marred much of Sunday.

Pollock was particularly severe on leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine, pulling him through midwicket for four and then lofting him over long-off for four more off consecutive deliveries. Ramnarine continued to be on the receiving end of punishment from both batsmen as Pollock went on to finish unbeaten on 41, Kallis 30.

In choosing to declare, Pollock left himself 12 runs short of joining the elite group of seven cricketers who have achieved the double of 2 000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket.

Before lunch, Courtney Walsh grabbed three South African wickets to take his world record tally to 513 as the West Indies fought their way back into the game. Resuming on their overnight 122-3, South Africa reached 168-7 at the interval.

The first wicket fell as early as the fourth ball of the morning, McKenzie playing across the line at a straight ball from Walsh which went on to hit off-stump. McKenzie gone without adding to his overnight 44, scored off 186 balls and including three boundaries.

Daryll Cullinan then pulled Dinanath Ramnarine for two successive fours through midwicket, but when the leg-spinner was promptly replaced by slow left-armer Neil McGarrell, the South African gave Gayle some catching practice at first slip and was gone for 28.

Gayle then undid his good work, putting down Kallis on just one in Walsh's next over. It was a tough chance, low to his left at first slip, but Gayle got both hands to it and will be disappointed he could not hold on.

Walsh went on to strike twice more, Klusener's miserable run with the bat continuing when, after scoring just a single, he chipped straight to square-leg where Hinds took a good low catch. Klusener now has 31 runs in seven innings in the series. Mark Boucher has also been short of runs since the first test in Guyana, and he went for just three when he groped forward at a ball from Walsh that straightened on him and took the edge through to Ridley Jacobs.