DURBAN, Feb 1: An unbeaten last-wicket stand of 57 between Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards lifted the West Indies to a competitive total of 263 for nine in the fourth One-day International against South Africa at Kingsmead on Friday.

Taylor smashed 43 not out off 21 balls, while Edwards was undefeated on 12. The stand, off just 34 deliveries, enabled the tourists to recover from a collapse in which the middle order batsmen failed to capitalise on a good start.

The inexperienced duo Brenton Parchment and Sewnarine Chattergoon put on 97 for the first wicket and the West Indies seemed set for a big total on a good pitch.

But the hometown favourite Shaun Pollock broke the stand and the tourists slid to 206 for nine in the 45th over.

Pollock had Chattergoon caught behind for 48 and Parchment followed for the same score two overs later when he was leg before to Andre Nel.

Despite a hard-hit 38 off 24 balls by Patrick Browne, playing in only his second ODI, the West Indies were unable to build any other substantial partnerships until Taylor and Powell came together.

Taylor, with a previous highest ODI score of 13, played aggressively and was especially severe on Makhaya Ntini, hitting the fast bowler for two successive sixes.

Ntini conceded 44 runs off his last two overs, including 24 off the final over of the innings.

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