S.Africa blast WI out to clinch series

EAST LONDON: On a pitch which held no terrors the West Indies collapsed to 122 all out and suffered a humiliating nine-wicket defeat in the third One-day International against South Africa here at Buffalo Park on Wednesday.

Marlon Samuels made 26 but no other West Indian batsmen reached 20 in a dismal performance on a good pitch.

Man-of-the-match Vernon Philander took two wickets inside the first two overs and finished with three for 27, while leg-spinner Imran Tahir claimed a career-best four for 28.

South Africa needed just 24.4 overs to complete a series-clinching win. Hashim Amla took his tally for the series to 280 runs for once out with an unbeaten 61 not out, while Faf du Plessis made 51 not out.

It was another crushing defeat for the West Indies following a one-sided encounter in the second match in Johannesburg last Sunday when South Africa made 439 for two on the way to winning by 148 runs.

It was no surprise that the West Indies batted first on a dry pitch expected to get slower and lower in the second half of the match, especially after the punishment their bowlers took after South Africa were sent in to bat in Johannesburg.

But the tourists were in trouble almost immediately and were unable to mount any substantial partnerships.

The South Africans were batting before the scheduled supper break and needed just an hour afterwards to secure the win.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES:

D. Smith c De Villiers b Philander 5 C. Gayle c De Villiers b Philander 1 N. Deonarine c De Villiers b Steyn 10 M. Samuels c Rossouw b Tahir 26 D. Ramdin b Steyn 2 J. Carter lbw b Tahir 18 A. Russell b Morkel 16 C. Brathwaite lbw b Tahir 4 J. Holder not out 17 J. Taylor lbw b Philander 0 S. Benn st De Villiers b Tahir 18

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-1) 5

TOTAL (33.4 overs) 122

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-6, 3-33, 4-43, 5-52, 6-83, 7-87, 8-95, 9-96.

BOWLING: Morkel 7-0-26-1 (1w); Philander 8-2-27-3; Steyn 6-1-21-2; Duminy 3-0-11-0; Behardien 2-0-5-0; Imran Tahir 7.4-0-28-4.

SOUTH AFRICA:

R. Rossouw c Deonarine b Holder 7 H. Amla not out 61 F. du Plessis not out 51

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-2) 5

TOTAL (for one wkt, 24.4 overs) 124

FALL OF WKT: 1-27.

BOWLING: Taylor 5-0-28-0 (1w); Benn 3-0-23-0; Holder 5-1-14-1; Russell 5-0-15-0 (1w); Deonarine 1-0-5-0; Brathwaite 5-0-31-0; Gayle 0.4-0-5-0.

DID NOT BAT: A.B. de Villiers, D. Miller, J. Duminy F. Behardien, V. Philander, D. Steyn, M. Morkel, Imran Tahir.

RESULT: South Africa won by nine wickets.