PORT-OF-SPAIN, May 16: Boeta Dippenaar struck a 41-ball half-century to lead South Africa to a seven-wicket victory over West Indies and a 5-0 One-day International series whitewash in Sunday’s final game. Dippenaar scored 61 not out, with five sweetly-struck fours and a superb six over long-off, as South Africa chased down a target of 139 in 20 overs with five balls to spare in a match reduced to its bare minimum by persistent morning rain.
While South Africa have had two seasons of domestic 20-over cricket, the shortest version of the game was a new experience for West Indian cricket.
South Africa were not extended by a mediocre West Indian score after opening batsman AB de Villiers got their innings off to a flying start with 30 off 25 balls.
After his uppercut off left-arm seamer Ian Bradshaw was caught by Brian Lara at third man, there was more punishment for the West Indies’ bowlers from Dippenaar.
South Africa’s big guns, Jacques Kallis (18) and Justin Kemp (8) were dismissed
relatively cheaply but Dippenaar’s controlled innings ensured they never strayed from the road to victory.
A mad scramble of runs left West Indies with a modest total of 138 for seven wickets after South Africa won the toss and asked them to bat first.
Chris Gayle posed his usual threat during a dynamic burst of 28 from just 20 balls at the start of the innings but, like most of the batsmen, he made the mistake of trying to hit a boundary off every ball and paid the price.
Gayle smashed 14 runs off paceman Andre Nel’s first three deliveries but then skied the fourth ball to third man.
The talismanic Lara made a hash of a full toss from part-time spinner Justin Ontong and was caught at short third man for just 12, while Ramnaresh Sarwan (15) was also caught playing a poor slog shot.
All-rounder Dwayne Bravo gave the home side a chance with an unbeaten 41 from 40 deliveries, with three boundaries, but the home side’s total always looked below par against South African batsmen who face an average of 170 in their domestic game.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES:
C.H. Gayle c Langeveldt b Nel 28
R.R. Sarwan c Ontong b Hall 15
B.C. Lara c Dippenaar b Ontong 12
S. Chanderpaul run out 1
D.J.J. Bravo not out 41
D.R. Smith lbw b Pollock 5
C.O. Browne b Hall 16
X.M. Marshall b Nel 6
I.D.R. Bradshaw not out 6
EXTRAS
(LB-6, W-1, NB-1) 8
TOTAL
(for seven wkts, 20 overs) 138
FALL OF WKTS: 1-39, 2-44, 3-48, 4-65, 5-76, 6-103, 7-117.
DID NOT BAT: F.H. Edwards, C.D. Collymore.
BOWLING: Pollock 4-1-20-1; Langeveldt 3-0-28-0 (1w); Nel 4-0-32-2; Hall 4-0-21-2 (1nb); Kallis 2-0-8-0; Ontong 3-0-23-1.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA:
A.B. de Villiers c Lara b Bradshaw 30
H.H. Dippenaar not out 61
J.H. Kallis c Chanderpaul b Bravo 18
J.M. Kemp b Collymore 8
M.V. Boucher not out 16
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-4, NB-1) 8
TOTAL (for three wkts, 19.1 overs)
141
FALL OF WKTS: 1-46, 2-81, 3-108.
DID NOT BAT: A.G. Prince, S.M. Pollock, J.L. Ontong, A.J. Hall, C.K. Langeveldt, A. Nel.
