West Indies pulls back one in Fourth ODI

WICB Photo

The West Indies players managed to pull one back when they defeated South Africa in their fourth ODI in Port Elizabeth on Sunday January 25, 2015.Chasing what many regarded as a somewhat challenging total, the Windies led by superhero, Jamaica’s Andre Russell who steadied the ship , secured for themselves a one-wicket morale-boosting victory.

West Indies last won an ODI against South Africa, in Jaipur in 2006. Since then, they have had 15 losses and a tie. This victory provided Jason Holder with his first in charge of West Indies.

The Proteas took first strike and managed to end their fifty overs at 262 for 8 with their top score being David Miller who smacked 130 runs from 122 balls in his maiden ODI century. Miller had support from JP.Duminy through the early part of his innings and the pair shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 90 but he lacked any other significant partner, as other South Africa batsmen failed to pass the 20 runs mark.

The pick of the Windies bowler was led by their captain, Holder, with 4-53 with support from Sheldon Cottrell with 2 for 39 runs.

The west Indies fight back got off to a scary start as a the third ball of the innings opener Dwayne Smith was sent packing by a full, fast Morne Morkel delivery. Smith in the process achieved the milestone of having the second highest number of ducks -most for any player who has played 100 ODIs or fewer.

The Caribbean team was in a spot of bother but thanks to the partnership between Marlon Samuels and Darren Sammy, the third-highest sixth wicket stand for West Indies after being five-down for 100 runs or less. This pair took West Indies from 73 for 5 to 166. Their 93-run sixth-wicket stand saw Samuels reach fifty off 70 balls and Sammy off 47. The former captain was the more aggressive and it cost him when he tried to send Parnell over cover but was caught by a backpedalling de Villiers.

Sammy was replaced by the equally forceful Russell, who picked up where Sammy left off albeit in slightly more difficult circumstances. West Indies lost Samuels, Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite as Russell seemed destined to run out of partners.

Russell scored 64 off 40 deliveries, including three sixes off his last eight balls with No.11 Sheldon Cottrell for company and settled nerves and see his side home at 266 for 9.

Andre Russell’s score saw him achieving the highest total by any player batting at No. 8 or below in a successful chase against South Africa. This is the fourth-highest such score by a player against any team.