CHANDERPAULPORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC
West Indies will have to scrape themselves up off the floor and try to salvage more than just pride from the last two One-day Internationals against South Africa today and tomorrow here.
A stunning hat trick from South Africa all-rounder Charl Langeveldt gave South Africa a dramatic one-run victory with one ball to spare in the third ODI in Barbados on Wednesday, and an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. With the South Africans clearly bent on an unprecedented clean sweep in the Caribbean, West Indies will have to rebound from Wednesday's defeat that was sure to have left them demoralised and depressed.
"We are looking to win these two matches to get into the groove as we prepare for the next series against Pakistan, so we are looking to put some wins behind us," West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul told CMC Radio Sports on the eve of the Queen's Park Oval double-header.
"We did well in the previous match in comparison to the first two games. I am hoping that we take the positives out of that match into this weekend. If we can play as well as we did, but correct the outcome, I think it will be good for us."
Hurt
Chanderpaul was hurt that his side could not complete the victory, after they had played exceptionally well to restrict the South Africans to 284 for six from their allocation of 50 overs, and needed just four runs from the last over with three wickets standing.
"Nobody expected us to lose the game from that position," he conceded.
"It was really sad that we lost it there, but the positives are still there. We got that close, and hopefully next time the guys will have the knowledge of how to carry it all the way through.
"We have to hang tough and stay positive. We are trying to build a team with some young players. Hopefully, we can start to see a little bit more maturity come through, and take the team in the direction that we all want it to go."
SMITH BANNED
South Africa will be without regular captain Graeme Smith. He has been handed a four-match ban and fined 30 per cent of his match fee because of a slow over-rate during Wednesday's thriller.
His teammates have each been fined 15 per cent of their match fee, but that will not be the last thing on their minds when they take the field on the weekend.
"We want to win all the games, but what may hamper us is one or two injuries that we have picked up," said Smith, who disclosed that veteran all-rounder Shaun Pollock would lead the side in his absence.
"It offers some of the other guys an opportunity to come into the side and perform well, and this often bodes well. Someone who has not had the opportunity to play yet may come and perform well, so everyone is motivated to play in Trinidad.
Smith added that South Africa would not take West Indies for granted.
"In ODI cricket, it takes one good performance from an individual to win a game, so we cannot take them for granted," he said.
"We are looking to improve on our performance in Barbados because we did not play up to the best of our abilities - we scored about 20 or 30 runs short, and bowled two extra overs at least - and it cost us a fine for over rates, and made the match tight."
About his personal situation, Smith was delighted that his side had won the series, but disappointed that he would miss out on the final fling.
"I will have to accept it," he said. "That's the rule. I do not know if I completely agree with a four-match ban, but I will just have to live with it.
WON'T APPEAL
"I do not think I will appeal it either. That may be dangerous. I think it may be better for me to serve out the ban and get it over and done with, so I will take it on the chin, and leave it to the International Cricket Council to review their rules and take it from there."
The last time the two teams met at the ground, South Africa won by 53 runs.
Squads: WEST INDIES (from): Shivnarine Chanderpaul (captain), Ian Bradshaw, Dwayne Bravo, Courtney Browne, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Christopher Gayle, Brian Lara, Xavier Marshall, Runako Morton, Daren Powell, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Smith.
SOUTH AFRICA (from): Shaun Pollock (captain), Mark Boucher, Abraham de Villiers, Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Justin Ontong, Ashwell Prince.
UMPIRES: Billy Doctrove, Simon Taufel, TV Replays: Eddie Nicholls. Reserve: Terence Birbal.
MATCH REFEREE: Jeff Crowe.
