Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
West Indies opener Christopher Gayle (centre) is bowled by South Africa pacer Makhaya Ntini (right), while wicketkeeper Mark Boucher reacts during the second match in the Digicel ODI series, at Sabina Park yesterday. Gayle scored 11. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
SOUTH AFRICA jumped into a two-nil lead in the Digicel five-match one-day series with a crushing defeat of the West Indies at Sabina Park yesterday.
After winning the opening match on Saturday with eight wickets in hand and five overs to spare, South Africa won the toss, sent the West Indies to bat, stifled and then limited them to 152 for seven in their allotted 50 overs.
Then, with the target reduced to 124 off 33 overs following a shower of rain and the loss of 75 minutes, with Boeta Dippenaar scoring 60 not out and Herschelle Gibbs 44 not out, the visitors eased to victory with eight wickets in hand and with 6.2 overs to spare.
But for captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw with bat and ball, it could have been worse.
GOOD STROKES
Joining the action with the West Indies on 30 for three in the 11th over, the left-handed Chanderpaul batted through to the 41st over. After reeling off a few good strokes, and reminding the disappointed fans that West Indians can bat, he reached to a delivery pitched outside the off stump by Charl Langeveldt, attempted to drive through the offside and was bowled leg stump off the inside edge for 36 at 103 for seven.
Browne, 46 off 59 deliveries with six boundaries, and Bradshaw, 17 not out, shared the best stand of the West Indies innings an unbroken eighth-wicket partnership of 49 off nine overs.
In an embarrassing performance, the West Indies were 40 for four in the 15th over with openers Gayle bowled by Makhaya Ntini with a well-pitched yorker for 11 at 13 for one in the fourth over and Wavell Hinds caught by captain Graeme Smith at slip off Pollock for three at 29 for two in the ninth over. Brian Lara was caught shortly after by Smith at slip off Pollock for zero at 30 for three.
After a few handsome strokes, Ramnaresh Sarwan was also gone; bowled off stump by pacer Langeveldt for 19.
STUMPING
After Dwayne Bravo was dropped off André Nel when wicketkeeper Mark Boucher failed to come up with a low catch to his right, medium-pacer Justin Kemp, replacing the big fast bowler who had conceded only two runs in six overs, made it 66 for five in the 28th over when he pulled Bravo forward and Boucher sent him packing with a smart piece of stumping.
It was 67 for six when Dwayne Smith drove pacer Kallis to Pollock in the covers and departed for zero.
After an encouraging 26-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Chanderpaul and Browne, the West Indies were really in an embarrassing position when Chanderpaul's vigil ended.
Fortunately for the West Indies, Ntini dropped a difficult return catch off Bradshaw with the batsman on four at 110 for seven, and with Bradshaw, unlike Bravo, making use of his luck, he and Browne the Windies heroes of the ICC Champions Trophy final last September smashed a few boundaries in the final four overs.
In his first over, the left-handed Bradshaw gave the home town fans something to cheer when he removed captain Graeme Smith for six at seven for one the left-hander driving a low catch to Lara in the covers.
In his third, the sixth of the innings, Bradshaw made it 18 for two when Kallis drove a catch to Dwayne Smith at short mid-wicket.
With the scoreboard reading 26 for two at the interruption, with South Africa needing only another 98 runs from 25 overs to win the match when play resumed, the rain probably robbed the West Indies of a chance of snatching victory.
Dippenaar and Gibbs both looked a bit uncomfortable before the break while Daren Powell and Bradshaw were bowling, but they took South Africa to victory without further loss and with ease.
