da leao： A full toss from Allan Donald, struck through backward point by RidleyJacobs, was eventually all that separated the West Indies and South Africaas the home side grabbed a dramatic last-ball victory at Sabina Park to takea 1-0 lead in the
Marcus Prior28-Apr-2001A full toss from Allan Donald, struck through backward point by RidleyJacobs, was eventually all that separated the West Indies and South Africaas the home side grabbed a dramatic last-ball victory at Sabina Park to takea 1-0 lead in the seven-match one-day series.The drama of the final moments was celebrated by an ecstatic full-house,the pitch invasion which followed the winning boundary even forcing umpireBasil Morgan to abandon his attempts to rescue the stumps as he was besiegedon all sides.Despite the low scores, it was a wonderful contest packed with incidentand sets the series up beautifully as the players set out on a five-islandtour of the eastern Caribbean.Chasing a modest 201 to win on a good batting track, the West Indieslooked to have lost their way when South Africa applied the brakes inspectacular style on the departure of Brian Lara for 54.Lara and Carl Hooper added 89 for the fourth wicket and as long as theywere together the run-chase seemed a matter of routine. But Jonty Rhodesproduced the second of two blinding catches at point to end Lara’s cameo andsuddenly the runs dried up.The wickets started to fall too. Hooper (43) perished as he tried toslog Roger Telemachus over the top, but by that stage he was alreadysuffering from cramp in both legs and using a runner. Ricardo Powellscratched out six runs before he was run out and Neil McGarrell wasbrilliantly caught and bowled one-handed by Jacques Kallis as heback-pedalled furiously.McGarrell helped bring the equation down to eight off the final overwith a straight driven six off Kallis in the penultimate over before hisdismissal.After Mervyn Dillon sprinted two singles and Jacobs one at the start ofDonald’s over, the West Indies ‘keeper knew five runs were needed from twoballs. He heaved the first round to square-leg for two and then deliveredthe coup de grace.This after opener Leon Garrick (7) fell cheaply as he had a frustratedslash at Shaun Pollock and Marlon Samuels (17) followed him in identicalfashion having a swing at Kallis. When Rhodes dived to his right to take anabsolute blinder to put an end to Chris Gayle’s aggressive 27, the WestIndies were 60-3.Earlier, the West Indies produced an aggressive and determined displayin the field, the tone set as early as the third over when Lara ran outHerschelle Gibbs (8) with a direct hit at the non-strikers end. Thehesitation between Gibbs and Gary Kirsten was only momentary, but Lara’sathleticism and accuracy were breathtaking.With Kirsten and Kallis both looking confident, South Africa reached the15 over mark on a relatively healthy 67-1.Kallis (23) is never afraid to use his feet to the slow bowlers but onthis occasion he was just short of meeting the ball on the half-volley andinstead of smashing it high into the George Headley stand, he saw the ballplucked out of the air by Cameron Cuffy who took a fine catch as he sprintedaround the long-off boundary.Kirsten endured a miserable run in the Test series and needed some luck,but once again it deserted him. After a positive start, he swept at Hooperand gloved the ball back onto his leg-stump to be bowled for 38 off 63balls.Rhodes and Neil McKenzie consolidated for South Africa taking thescore along to 131 before the middle and lower order buckled and broke.McKenzie (21) was the first to go, dancing down the wicket tofast-bowler Cuffy and edging to the wicket-keeper. When Rhodes (36 off 53balls) was trapped on the back foot by McGarrell and Lance Klusener followedfirst ball, bowled by one from McGarrell which turned through the gate,South Africa were 149-6.Boucher (14) then dabbed one straight back to Samuels, debutantJustin Ontong (12) was caught at short fine-leg looking to play the mostunorthodox of ultra-fine ‘chip-sweeps’ off Hooper and Telemachus (3)was superbly caught and bowled, again by Samuels.Pollock was left unbeaten on 26 when Donald wasclean bowled by Dillon with the score on a round 200.