September 14, 2002	Saturday	Rajab 6, 1423

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COLOMBO, Sept 13: A last-ball boundary by South African tail-ender Alan Dawson secured a heart-stopping two-wicket win for his side over West Indies in their pool three Champions Trophy match on Friday.

With the scores tied, Dawson sliced fast bowler Mervyn Dillon to the third-man boundary to give South Africa victory and with it a great chance of reaching the semi-finals.

Requiring 13 to win from the last six balls as they responded to West Indies’ score of 238 for eight, South Africa had reduced the target to three from the last delivery when Dillon bowled a wide.

To add insult to West Indian frustration, the ninth wicket pair of Nicky Boje and Dawson also scrambled a single to level the scores and Dawson then completed the victory from the only ball he faced.

The match had swung one way then the other in the closing stages.

Chasing 239 in 49 overs after they were penalised for their slow over rate in roasting hot conditions, they appeared to be cruising to victory thanks to man-of-the-match Jonty Rhodes (61) and Boeta Dippenaar (53).

That pair added 117 in 23 overs, a record fourth-wicket stand for South Africa against West Indies, to lead a recovery from 61 for three in the 17th over.

But Carl Hooper, who produced an outstanding display of off-spin bowling on a slow, turning pitch to take three for 42, removed both men in the space of three balls in the 40th over to put the match back in the balance.

Pollock, who hit Dillon for six and was dismissed in the last over, said he had not offered any words of wisdom for Dawson before he went to the non-striker’s end when Lance Klusener fell with just one legitimate ball remaining.

“I didn’t say a word to him because I didn’t think he was going to be involved. Luckily the West Indies didn’t recognise it was a wide and we scrambled a bye which turned out to be vital,” said Pollock.

“We didn’t play as well as we could have and certain aspects were disappointing but the positive was that we could still squeak a victory. To be successful you’ve got to win from all circumstances and we did that today.”

West Indies captain Hooper was left to reflect on Dillon’s failings as, with Kenya the third side in the pool, his team now face likely elimination and a two-week training camp in Colombo before a tour of India starting in October.

“I was a bit disappointed he bowled a wide,” he said. “I’d almost have preferred him to bowl a legitimate ball that was hit for a four or a six but obviously there was a lot of pressure and I think it’s his first time under that type of pressure. He’s just got to learn from it.”

Hooper could also reflect on other failings in his side that in a close match ultimately cost them dear.

“There were loads of areas we could have improved upon,” he said. “I thought we were a bit slack in the outfield, Jonty Rhodes was caught behind off a no-ball, Pedro Collins had an early lbw shout that was a no-ball and Shaun Pollock was short of his ground but Pedro Collins couldn’t gather the ball,” said Hooper.

“We probably could have got 15 or 20 more runs but for a period we didn’t play with any degree of urgency.”

That lack of urgency meant the momentum created by opener Chris Gayle’s 49 from 55 balls was wasted. When he fell, one of two victims for Allan Donald, no one was able to go on and play a big innings, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s laboured 45 in 98 balls doing his side few favours.

Hooper (27) and Brian Lara (21) both threatened to play the major innings, but both were dismissed just as they seemed set to break free.

It was left to Ramnaresh Sarwan (36) and Ridley Jacobs (25) to provide some late impetus as 70 runs came from the final ten overs of the innings.

Donald marked the match, his 148th, by taking his 250th one-day international wicket when he dismissed Wavell Hinds. Donald is the ninth player and the first South African to reach the milestone.