JOHANNESBURG: Faf du Plessis blasted the second fastest century in Twenty20 Interna­tionals but it was not enough for South Africa as West Indies produced a record chase in a run-fest to win by four wickets at the Wanderers on Sunday.

The tourists were set 232 for victory and passed that mark with four balls remaining as Chris Gayle bludgeoned 90 from 41 balls to set up their series-clinching win.

It is the highest successful run chase in Twenty20 International cricket, beating India’s 211 against Sri Lanka in 2009, with 467 runs scored in under 40 overs.

Du Plessis smashed 119 from 56 balls with 11 fours and five sixes to record the highest score by a South African in the shortest format of international cricket, taking his side to 231 for seven in their 20 overs.

He missed the record for the fastest hundred in Twenty20 cricket by a single ball as he took 46 to reach his ton, one more than compatriot Richard Levi against New Zealand in 2012.

The visitors were well on course for the win as Gayle punished the helpless home bowling along with Marlon Samuels (60 from 39 balls) as the pair took the score to 171 for one before the former was out in the 14th over.

That sent the jitters through the West Indies dugout as they lost four quick wickets, but Darren Sammy clubbed 20 from seven balls to carry the tourists to victory as they finished on 236 for six from 19.2 overs.

The visitors have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the final contest to be played in Durban on Wednesday.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA:

R. Rossouw c Ramdin b Holder 15

M. van Wyk c Pollard b Benn 4

F. du Plessis c Bravo b Holder 119

D. Miller run out (Russell) 47

J. Ontong c Holder b Bravo 19

F. Behardien not out 8

D. Wiese c Smith b Bravo 6

K. Abbott run out (Ramdin) 2

EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-2, W-7) 11

TOTAL (for 7 wkts, 20 overs) 231

DID NOT BAT: M. de Lange, A. Phangiso, Imran Tahir

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-21, 3-126, 4-156, 5-222, 6-228, 7-231.

BOWLING: Benn 3-0-42-1, Cottrell 3-0-47-0 (1nb), Holder 4-0-40-2 (2w), Russell 4-0-39-0 (1nb, 4w), Bravo 4-0-32-2 (1w), Sammy 1-0-17-0, Pollard 1-0-12-0.

WEST INDIES:

D. Smith lbw b De Lange 17 C. Gayle c Van Wyk b Wiese 90 M. Samuels c Behardien b Wiese 60 K. Pollard c Behardien b Wiese 7 A. Russell c Miller b Abbott 14 D. Bravo c Ontong b Phangiso 10 D. Sammy not out 20 D. Ramdin not out 7

EXTRAS (B-4, W-7) 11

TOTAL (for 6 wkts, 19.2 overs) 236

DID NOT BAT: J. Holder, S. Benn, S. Cottrell.

FALL OF WKTS: 1-19, 2-171, 3-178, 4-185, 5-198, 6-209.

BOWLING: Abbott 4-0-68-1 (1w), De Lange 3.2-0-42-1 (2w), Wiese 4-0-43-3 (3w), Phangiso 3-0-33-1, Imran Tahir 4-0-29-0 (1w), Ontong 1-0-17-0

RESULT: West Indies won by four wickets.

UMPIRES: Shaun George and Adrian Holdstock (both South Africa).

TV UMPIRE: Johan Cloete (South Africa).

MATCH REFEREE: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2015

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