West Indies and South Africa will clash tomorrow (Thursday 1st July) in the fourth T20 International at the Grenada National Stadium (GNS) in St. Georges, starting at 2:00 p.m.
The third T20 International was played yesterday at the same venue. More on that game in Saturday’s issue of the paper. Prior to yesterday’s match the teams were locked 1-1 in the five-match series.
Meanwhile, Cricket West Indies (CWI) selection panel on Monday 28th June named an unchanged 13-member squad for yesterday’s encounter, but it’s uncertain whether the selection panel headed by former West Indies all-rounder Roger Harper will make any changes for tomorrow’s all important encounter.
The West Indies squad: Kieron Pollard (captain) Nicholas Pooran, Evin Lewis, Andre Fletcher, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russel, Jason Holder, Obed McCoy, Kevin Sinclair and Fidel Edward.
On Sunday 27th, the South Africans pulled all stop to defeat the home team by 16 runs at the GNS.
After restricting South Africa to 166 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs, West Indies got off to a poor start, having lost Evin Lewis for 21 and Chris Gayle for 8 in quick succession.
With little to no contribution coming from Nicholas Pooran 9, captain Kieron Pollard 1 and Andre Russell 5, the West Indies were at one time 5 for 70 after 10.3 overs.
The home teams were left with a daunting task to chase down a modest total set by the South Africans.Fabian Allen and Dwayne Bravo kept West Indies in the chase, but it was always going to be a mammoth task. Anrich Nortje pretty much sealed the match for the visitors after bowling a brilliant 19th over.
With 36 required off 6 balls to win, Allen had other ideas as he hit three massive sixes off Lungi Ngidi, two of which coming off the first two deliveries.
Allen was dismissed off the fifth ball of the final over for 34, lbw to Ngidi as the West Indies finished with 150 for the loss of 9 wickets after 20 overs, falling short by 16 runs.
Bowling for South Africa, Kagiso Rabada 3 for 37, George Linde 2 for 19, Tabraiz Shamsi 1 for 16, Anrich Nortje 1 for 27 and Lungi Ngidi a bit expensive, he picked up 1 for 49 in his 4 overs at an economy rate of 12.25.
On Saturday 26th, opening batsman Evin Lewis went on a hitting spree as West Indies scored a massive eight wicket win against the visitors in the opening T20 International at the GNS.
It was sweet revenged for Kieron Pollard men after the disappointment put on by the Kraigg Brathwaite lead Test team after losing both Test matches to South Africa by big margins at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Saint Lucia.
In West Indies runs chase, opening batsman Evin Lewis smashed seven sixes and four boundaries in his 71-run knock off 35 deliveries at a run rate of 202.85 to upend South Africa’s total of 160 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs for the loss of just two wickets and with five overs to spare. He put on 85 for the first wicket in 7 overs with fellow opener Andre Fletcher who was run out by Ngidi for 30.
Other contributors with the bat, Chris Gayle 32 not out, and Andre Russell 23 not out. For South Africa, Tabraiz Shamsi picked up 1 for 27.
In South Africa innings, Rassie van der Dussen 56 not out, Quinton de Kock 37 and captain Temba Bavuma 22.
Bowling for West Indies, Fabian Allen took 2 for 18, Dwayne Bravo 2 for 30 and Jason Holder 1 for 29.
