3rd One-day: West Indies v South Africa - follow-up (28 January 1999)

28 January 1999

3rd One-day: West Indies v South Africa - follow-up

Ken Borland

The South Africans may be 2-1 up in the series after their impressive triumph in the third limited-overs international at Kingsmead, but the team selectors could well make changes for Saturday's game in Port Elizabeth. Daryll Cullinan, whose controversial handled the ball dismissal for 46 sparked an evening of high drama, did not look totally comfortable opening the batting and may yet return to the middle-order, allowing Gary Kirsten, one of the senior players, to resume his opening partnership with Western Province team-mate Herschelle Gibbs.

Gibbs was actually the senior partner in the opening stand of 49 with Cullinan, his quickfire 29 including two magnificent hits out of the ground that showcased his exceptional strokeplaying talent. Apart from flicking Reon King nonchalantly over long-leg, he also smashed him for six over point off the back foot and anyone who manages that against a bowler of King's pace has got to be top-class.

The batting was generally very solid though, the South African team eventually finishing with 274 for nine in their 50 overs, Lance Klusener top-scoring with an assured 64, while Hansie Cronje smashed 58 off 42 balls to push the total beyond the West Indies' reach.

The home pacemen produced some of the most hostile bowling ever seen in a limited-overs international, even without Shaun Pollock - who was a late withdrawal from the team with pharyngitis - but the South Africans will be keen to see him back in action in Port Elizabeth, possibly in Steve Elworthy's place. The Northerns quickie returned to the team but bowled poorly under the pressure exerted by Junior Murray and a rampant Shivnarine Chanderpaul at the start of the West Indian innings.

On their way to the most impressive limited-overs record ever accumulated in international cricket, the South Africans have shown a tremendous propensity to amaze in the field and they did it again at Kingsmead.

Klusener, willing to lay his body on the line for his country, lit the fires of the South African pacemen when he returned to the action after spiking himself fielding in the first over and getting six stitches to the gash in his leg. His fast and furious spell claimed Chanderpaul's wicket after four balls and Jacques Kallis and Cronje learnt from him and also began banging it in to take advantage of the bounce and zip of a pitch enlivened by the evening dew.

Kallis was particularly inspired and, bowling as quickly as he ever has, kept up an intimidatory, short-pitched line of attack to finish with three for 24 in 10 overs.

Captain Cronje refused to apologise for the unusual tactic. "They came at us hard," he said, "and we hit back as hard as we could.

"We were gambling by digging the ball in short, but after the flier they got off to you're not going to win unless you get wickets."

It reminded one of the fierce West Indian bowling attacks of the early '80s, but not everyone has approved.

West Indian supporters apparently phoned the offices of the United Cricket Board to complain about the tactics and Brian Lara's nose was also clearly put out of joint.

"The South Africans bowled very short and with the ball bouncing so high it was very difficult to bat out there," he said.

Although eight deliveries were no-balled by the umpires for being too high, it made for a riveting, no-holds-barred contest kept well within the laws of the game by Dave Orchard and Wilf Diedericks.

The Kingsmead classic ended in perfect fashion with Jonty Rhodes taking a brilliant diving catch, and if the four remaining matches in the series can produce as much drama and quality cricket, then the West Indian tour is going to end up being very popular indeed.

Source :: Ken Borland