Gayle ... in doubt for 20/20 finale.

JOHANNESBURG (CMC):

RETURNING TO the venue where they displayed both the best and worst of their game at the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup four months ago, the West Indies will be seeking a series-clinching victory over South Africa at The Wanderers today to confirm that they are making gradual progress up the ladder of international respectability.

Despite an historic victory in the first match of the three-Test series last month in Port Elizabeth, subsequent defeats in Cape Town, and especially the mauling by an innings and 100 runs in Durban to surrender the series 2-1 have again raised questions as to the ability of the Caribbean side to sustain their effort for the remaining 16 days of their southern African campaign.

Confident of winning

In light of a five-wicket win in a rain-shortened first Twenty20 fixture in Port Elizabeth on December 16 however, the tourists are confident of returning to their winning ways in front of what is expected to be a capacity crowd at the venue dubbed the 'Bullring' because of its Coliseum-type structure.

Amid concerns about the weather after torrential showers in Johannesburg yesterday, it is expected to be an even more intimidating atmosphere with the home fans urging on the Proteas to victory to square the two-match contest as a prelude to the five-match one-day international series beginning at Centurion on Sunday.

At the Twenty20 World Cup, Chris Gayle stole the spotlight with a bludgeoning first-ever hundred in this new and immensely popular form of the international game.

Yet the gloss of that stunning innings faded when the bowlers delivered an astonishing 25 wides, while the out-cricket was generally shoddy in allowing South Africa to romp to victory.

Without captain

On this occasion, the West Indies are likely to be without Gayle as the captain is in the final stages of recovery from the fractured thumb sustained during the second Test at Newlands.

"The doctors said we should wait until the 19th of the month," said coach John Dyson on the eve of the match in response to a query over the captain's availability. "So we're still probably a little bit early, but we'll see how it goes."

The South Africans, who are keen to keep the West Indies on the back-foot after rallying to win the Test series, will certainly not be lacking in motivation.

Captain Graeme Smith suggested yesterday that had there been a fourth Test in the series, the West Indies could quite possibly have fallen apart completely after the three-day hammering at Kingsmead.

The Proteas captain, however, acknowledged West Indies' enthusiasm for the shorter forms of the game, and having missed the first Twenty20 fixture because of illness, is determined to redress the balance.