Windies advance with Oval thriller

It took two days to complete, but the quarter-final match between the West Indies and South Africa was definitely worth it. Eventually the West Indies took the honours by 5 wickets, but the chase was one that swung between both teams before settling. Shivnarine Chanderpaul's innings of 51 not out was the difference in the end and the West Indies accelerated for 118 runs off the last 96 balls of the innings to successfully chase 246 with 7 balls to spare.

The day began with the West Indies needing 227 runs with 20/0 on the board. Champion seamer, Shaun Pollock immediately gave the 'Game on' signal by dismissing both openers within 33/2. Gayle (16) first played on and then Hinds (15), after hitting Charl Langeveldt for a couple of boundaries in the previous over, was adjudged LBW. Replays showed the ball to have pitched outside legstump and to be too high, but Hinds had to walk and was replaced by one Brian Charles Lara.

Now, with the West Indies' top spots at the crease, rebuilding was required. The captain and vice-captain struggled to a 67-run partnership, taking 148 balls in the process. Lara (49) was disappointingly bowled by Boje, charging down the track and missing an agricultural swipe as he failed to reach the pitch of the ball.

Sarwan, who took 38 balls to reach double figures, was just starting to open up his shoulders and had launched Boje for a straight six earlier in the same over. With the crucial wicket of Lara down, the task looked to be that much harder. The pitch had played slowly all day and timing shots was not much of child's play. Lance Klusener (10-1-32-0) used that to his advantage in bowling a sharp and tidy spell, but with his 10 just complete, Pollock was made to return to the attack. He bowled well enough to give up 10 runs from his 2 overs and the required rate continued to escalate.

By the end of the 37th over, the West Indies needed 98 runs from 78 balls and Charl Langeveldt replaced Pollock. Inexperienced faced off with experience and Chanderpaul won the battle by lofting the youngster over midoff for a boundary first ball. A further 4 runs came and then Chanderpaul finished the over with another boundary, this time along the ground and straight - 86 needed from 72.

Despite the 12-run over, the equation still required 7.17 runs per over, but by the end of the 40th over it was up to 7.40. Sarwan had just reached his half-century from 82 balls and made good of the realization that he would have to step up the gear. Down the track he darted to Boje and over the ropes at longoff the bowl disappeared - 66 needed off 54.

Kallis set up for the 42nd over and Sarwan went at it again. Once more he charged down the pitch and picked a slower ball to loft over the extra cover boundary. By the end of the 10-run over it was down to 56 required from 48. Favour swung back to the West Indies and 23 runs were scored off the next 3 overs despite only a solitary boundary being hit, a lovely cover drive by Chanderpaul against Boje.

Now the game looked well set for the West Indies' taking - 214/4 and 33 needed from 30 balls. Ntini charged in for one last effort and brought hope with him - Sarwan bowled for 75. Sarwan's innings was one of two faces. Initially his struggles were mighty, but he stuck around to enable acceleration in the clutch period.

To the wicket now was powerful Ricardo Powell. First up he saw a wide down the legside, then fended down a sharp riser from Ntini. Just a legbye was scored off the remainder of the over and the West Indies needed 31 from their last 4 overs to win a semifinal spot.

Shaun Pollock was back for his final spell and 9-0-37-2 already in the books. The first ball was a full toss that Powell drove through cover and pushed for two runs with some aggressive running. Next Powell found extra cover - a precious dot ball. With 29 needed off 22 balls, Powell significantly depreciated the dramatic quality with two swings of the bat. Pollock to Powell, a full toss on legstump and swung away for six over midwicket. The remath and another full toss and the same devastating result.

Pollock finished with 10-0-57-2 as 19 runs came from his final over, Chanderpaul capping it off with a boundary fine off his legs. Now just 12 runs were needed from 3 overs and one thought that surely the West Indies would cruise home. Powell had the same thoughs and gave himself room and momentum to hit Ntini through the offside, but was instead yorked for 16. Another twist in the tail? West Indies needed 10 off 15 balls.

Young Dwayne Bravo made his way to the middle in a newly tensed situation. Like a pro, he handled it calmly and flicked his first ball close to the long leg ropes, running a couple. At the over's completion, the equation was 7 from 12 balls and Charl Langeveldt was to bowl the second-to-last over of the innings.

Langeveldt started in to Bravo and conceded a run to long-on - 6 off 11. Chanderpaul drove to mid-on next but then clipped a legstump full toss to the midwicket fence. South African hearts sunk and West Indian pride swelled. Two ball later it was all over. Another legstump offering and Chanderpaul whipped it away for another boundary, victory and his half-century - triple the pleasure.

His innings was 52 balls long and Chanderpaul showed his class with 6 boundaries, orthodox and otherwise. Dwayne Bravo was unbeaten on 4 at the other end and the West Indies had 5 wickets intact when their hurricane-Ivan-inspired attempts at victory were vindicated. Ramnaresh Sarwan received the Man of the Match award and his team now moves on to face Pakistan in the Champions Trophy semifinal.

Match Summary:

South Africa innings 246/6 (50 overs)
(HH Gibbs 101 [135], JA Rudolph 46 [39], GC Smith 45 [64])
(CH Gayle 3/50 [10], IDR Bradshaw 2/40 [10])

West Indies innings 249/5 (48.5 overs)
(RR Sarwan 75 [99], S Chanderpaul 51 not out [52], BC Lara 49 [85]
(M Ntini 2/26 [5], SM Pollock 2/57 [10])

Result: West Indies won by 5 wickets and advance to semifinal
Man of the Match: RR Sarwan (WI)

Posted by Liam