Brian Lara slashes over point during his innings of 91 yesterday at the Antigua Recreation Ground. - DellmarBy Tony Becca,
Senior Sport Editor
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua:
THE WEST Indies' dream of winning the 2001 Cable & Wireless Test series against South Africa and in so doing protect their impressive home record ended in disappointment at the Antigua Recreation Ground yesterday when they were beaten in the fourth Test.
Going into the final morning on 101 for four and needing another 222 runs from a minimum 90 overs to win the match, the West Indies, despite a defiant then brilliant stand by star batsman Brian Lara, lost by 82 runs.
The end came four minutes before the scheduled tea interval when left-handed Dinanath Ramnarine edged pacer Jacques Kallis low to Darryl Cullinan at gully with 36 overs still to be bowled.
Final score: South Africa 247 and 215 for seven declared, West Indies 140 and 240 with Lara blasting four sixes and eight fours before he was ninth out at 229 after facing 199 deliveries.
In winning the match, South Africa, winners of the second Test at Queen's Park Oval, boast a 2-0 lead in the five-match contest and with only one to go, at Sabina Park, will take home the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy.
In losing the match, the West Indies crashed to only their third defeat in 16 matches at the ARG and the series loss was only the seventh time in 39 series that the former undisputed world champions were losing at home - the first since 1995 when Australia, the current reigning champions, dethroned them.
For the West Indies, yesterday's defeat was a stinging blow, not only because they lost the match, but with their record at home such a wonderful contrast to their record away over the past three years, more so because by losing it they lost a series at home.
In 1997-98, the West Indies lost all three matches in Pakistan and then defeated England 3-1 at home; in 1998-99, the West Indies lost all five matches in South Africa and then drew with Australia at home after leading 2-1 going into the final match; and in 1999-2000, the West Indies lost both matches in New Zealand and then defeated, not only Zimbabwe at home but also Pakistan.
After losing 3-1 in England last year and then all five matches in Australia last time out, the West Indies were looking forward to taking out South Africa on home soil.
After trailing 1-0, however, they had to win the fourth Test in order to have a chance and after trailing throughout the previous four days, they had to find something extra yesterday.
Despite Lara's solid defence early and his brilliance later on, however, despite a plucky performance by his overnight partner Ramnaresh Sarwan, they did not.
The man who ripped them apart was not left-arm spinner Nicky Boje, as expected, but pacer captain Shaun Pollock himself.
After opening up with Boje from the south and pacer Lance Klusener from the north, Pollock took the ball from Klusener after 17 overs with the score on at 131 for four, and in his third over, Sarwan, on 26, played forward, the ball came into the right-hander off the seam, hit the outside edge and wicketkeeper Mark Boucher made it 138 for five.
Three balls later, Ridley Jacobs was on his way for zero at 138 for six - the left-hander attempting to blast Pollock into the Andy Roberts Stand and lofting a simple catch to Gary Kirsten at extra-cover.
With a minimum of 68 overs to go at that stage, with Mervyn Dillon walking out to bat, with only Neil McGarrell, Ramnarine and Courtney Walsh to come, the writing was on the wall, and when Pollock made it three in a row by removing McGarrell for six at 155 for seven - caught by Justin Kemp at short mid-off, when Dillon, on one, edged Boje to Darryl Cullinan to make it 176 for eight with 51 overs to go, it was only a matter of time.
The fans were already leaving when Lara, probably saying to himself, what the hell, it is over any way, moved into the attack, and even if it was not so for the South Africans - particular Makhaya Ntini who dropped a "sitter" off Boje on the square-leg boundary with the left-hander on 64, it certainly provided an entertaining climax for the fans.
Batting like a man without a care in the world, Lara drove, hooked, cut and pulled, he hit Boje over mid-wicket for six with one hand on the bat, and went he finally fell at 229-9, another attempt at a one-handed shot, this time off pacer Kallis, dropping into Neil McKenzie's hands in the covers, the fans, who had long given up on the West Indies, groaned in disappointment.
SCOREBOARD
South Africa first innings 247
West Indies first innings 140
South Africa second innings 215-7 dec.
West Indies second innings
(Resumed at 101-4)
B. Lara c McKenzie b Kallis 91
R. Sarwan c Boucher b Pollock 26
R. Jacobs c Kirsten b Pollock 0
N. McGarrell c Kemp b Pollock 6
M. Dillon c Cullinan b Boje 1
D. Ramnarine c Kirsten b Kallis 9
C. Walsh not out 4
Extras (b-18 lb-3 nb-4) 25
Total (all out, 99.4 overs) 240
Fall: 1-36 2-56 3-86 4-89 5-138 6-138 7-155 8-176 9-229
Bowling: Pollock 19-5-41-3 (nb-2), Kallis 15.4-6-23-2 (nb-1) Boje 45-9-118-4, Kemp 6-3-7-0 (nb-1) Klusener 14-6-30-1
Result: South Africa won by 82 runs.
