By Tony Becca,
Senior Sport Editor
AFTER three days of riveting action and one spoiled by rain, the fifth and final Test of the Cable & Wireless series between the West Indies and South Africa at Sabina Park enters its fifth and final day today, and as it was at the end of the third day's play, although the Windies are now sniffing victory, it is interestingly poised.
The West Indies could win it, and they should win it. South Africa, however, could also win it, and it could end in a draw.
At stumps on a day during which the rhythm of the contest was interrupted by rain that chased the players off the field three times, the scoreboard read, West Indies 225 and 301, South Africa 141 and 140 for three with the visitors, two-nil up and already winners of the series needing another 246 to win the match and to underline their superiority over the former world champions.
With seven wickets to get and the wily veteran Courtney Walsh, playing in his last Test match and hoping for a winning exit, in their attack, plus fast bowling colleagues Cameron Cuffy and Mervyn Dillon along with right-arm leg spinner Dinanath Ramnarine, the West Indies, hunting a face-saving victory, have a chance to win - and a good one at that.
With Neil McKenzie, on 40 and stroking the ball confidently, however, with Jacques Kallis still alive, and with captain Shaun Pollock and others like Lance Klusener and Mark Boucher to come, and with the pitch still good for batting, so too South Africa.
As far as a draw is concerned, that could depend, not only on the weather, not only on South Africa's mood, but remembering their line of attack for so long during the fourth Test in Antigua when Ramnarine and captain Carl Hooper bowled round the wicket and down the leg side with six and seven fielders on the leg side, also on the West Indies approach if they find themselves in trouble.
Resuming on 255 for seven with Ridley Jacobs on 67, Ramnarine on nine and the lead 339, the West Indies lost Ramnarine to the third delivery of the morning when the left-hander, reaching forward to pacer Pollock, edged a low catch to Darryl Cullinan at first slip.
Probably because of the early loss, and with so much time left in the game, probably because they were afraid of South Africa, the West Indies batted slowly afterwards and scored a mere 23 runs in the first hour before rain drove the players off the field for the first time and kept them off for 30 minutes.
Shortly after play resumed, Jacobs hooked at Klusener, lofted a catch to McKenzie at mid-wicket and was gone for 85 at 287 for nine.
The exit of Jacobs brought in Walsh for his last innings in a Test match, and with the crowd standing and cheering, with the South African players forming a guard of honour and also cheering, it was a fitting tribute to a great bowler.
Unlike the legendary batsman Don Bradman who was overcome by a similar tribute in his farewell innings and was bowled for zero, Walsh scored three runs before he walked away to a standing ovation.
To the delight of his fans, Walsh drove Paul Adams high to wide long-off for two before, in attempting to go for a six that would be remembered for ever, he mishit a delivery from the left-arm spinner and offered Gary Kirsten a simple catch at cover.
Remembering that only Australia, set 404 to beat England at Leeds in 1948, and India, set 403 to beat the West Indies at Queen's Park Oval, had ever chased such a target successfully, when South Africa were set 386 to win it appeared beyond them - especially when Gary Kirsten, attempting to pull his bat away from a lifting delivery from pacer Mervyn Dillon, was caught off the glove by wicketkeeper Jacobs for 14 at 37 for one.
In a beautiful display of batting, however, Herschelle Gibbs and McKenzie took on the West Indies bowlers, and with Gibbs in particular treating them with disdain the pair appeared set to turn the odds in South Africa's favour before the close of the day's play. That, however, was not to be.
After pulling the reins on the confident South Africans with some tight offspin from the northern end, Hooper cut down Gibbs - the right-hander sweeping and going bowled for 51 at 102 for two; and in the first over of his second spell, Walsh made it wicket number 517 and handed the West Indies the advantage when he removed Cullinan leg before wicket for 18 at 124 for three.
SCOREBOARD
West Indies first innings 225
South Africa first innings 141
West Indies second innings
(255 -7 overnight - 107 overs)
| R | M | B | 4 | 6 |
| R. Jacobs c McKenzie b Klusener | 85 | 247 | 191 | 6 | 0 |
| D. Ramnarine c Cullinan b Pollock | 9 | 51 | 40 | 1 | 0 |
| C. Cuffy not out | 13 | 90 | 43 | 1 | 0 |
| C. Walsh c Kirsten b Adams | 3 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
Extras: (b14, lb13, w4, nb3) 34
Total: (608 mins, 129.5 overs) 301
Fall: 47 (1), 55 (3), 77 (4), 103 (2), 126 (6), 184 (5), 229 (8), 255 (9), 287 (7).
Bowling: A. Donald 20-8-54-1 w2 (6-1-17-0 w1, 6-4-9-1, 5-3-8-0, 3-0-20-0 w1)
S. Pollock 34-8-66-4 w1, nb 2 (6-2-8-0, 6-3-11-0 nb1, 6-1-13-1 nb1, 8-0-24-2, 8-2-10-1 w1)
J. Kallis 28-10-56-1 w1 (3-0-7-0, 6-3-8-0, 4-2-10-1, 7-2-22-0, 8-3-9-0 w1)
P. Adams 21.5-7-54-2 (2-2-0-0, 12-5-26-1, 4-0-16-0, 3.5-0-12-1)
J. Kemp 18-9-30-1 (7-6-4-1, 4-0-11-0, 3-0-13-0, 4-3-2-0)
L. Klusener 8-3-13-1 (2-1-3-0, 3-1-5-0, 3-1-5-1).
First hour - 278-8, 122 overs; lunch - 301 all out - 129.5 overs 50 - 172 m, 149 b; 100 - 309 m, 358 b; 150 - 381 m, 464 b; 200 - 449 m, 521 b; 250 - 512 m, 626 b; 606 m, 779 b
South Africa second innings
| G. Kirsten c wk Jacobs b Dillon | 14 | 66 | 92 | 1 | 0 |
| H. Gibbs b Hooper | 51 | 164 | 122 | 5 | 0 |
| N. McKenzie not out | 40 | 185 | 146 | 1 | 0 |
| D. Cullinan lbw Walsh | 18 | 43 | 46 | 0 | 0 |
| J. Kallis not out | 5 | 41 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
Extras: (b4, lb7, nb1) 12
Total: (252 mins, 64 overs) 140 for 3
Fall: 37 (1), 102 (2), 124 (4)
Bowling: C. Walsh 13-3-33-1 (9-1-26-0, 4-2-7-1)
C. Cuffy 8-3-10-0 (5-2-6-0, 3-1-4-0)
M. Dillon 10-2-38-1 nb1 (6-2-9-1, 4-0-29-0 nb1)
D. Ramnarine 17-3-29-0 (1-1-0-0, 16-2-29-0)
C. Hooper 16-5-19-1 (15-5-17-1, 1-0-2-0)
50 - 108 m, 62 b; 100 - 163 m, 242 b.
Toss - West Indies
Umpires: Steve Bucknor - Jamaica, S. Venkataraghavan - India
