Windies go after Aussies today
After Pollard, Narine heroics…
Published: Guardian
Sunday, June 5, 2016
A pumped-up West Indies team will oppose Australia today in their second match of the Ballr Tri-series today at the National Cricket Stadium in Providence, Guyana in front of a packed house from 1pm.
After all the recent festivities of the 50th anniversary of Independence, Guyanese fans did not come out in their numbers for the opening match against South Africa on Friday night.
They missed out a treat as West Indies defeated South Africa by four wickets thanks to Sunil Narine’s record bowling perfoemance of 6/27 and all-rounder Keiron Pollard’s unbeaten 67.
Having learnt a lesson by their absence, the fans here are not leaving anything to chance and yesterday the ticketing centre was a hive of activity as tickets which ranged from US$25 to US$35 were being lapped up.
The West Indies are expected to go in with an unchanged team against Australia, while the Aussies, yet to play cricket since arriving in the region, is sweating over the fitness of Glen Maxwell, who is key to their spin options.
Friday night belonged to the T&T’s Pollard, Narine and Darren Bravo as they showed the opposition that although ranked eight, the West Indies can still be dangerous.
After Narine crippled the South Africans for 188, the West Indies found themselves in a spot of bother at 78 for four. Pollard played a very mature innings, helping the younger Bravo along, as they added 74 runs for the fifth wicket. Bravo fell for 30 just before the victory was realised but his 77-ball stand with Pollard was the crucial factor in the chase.
Pollard back for the first time in almost two years made the most of the chance and finished 67 not out of 67 balls with six sixes and two fours.
Earlier, Narine continued looked as if he never missed out in International play, as he bemused the South Africans to record the best ever bowling by a spinner for the West Indies in ODI cricket.
South Africa was well placed on 160 for three after 35 overs and when Narine finished his magic - they lost seven wickets for just 28 runs, as Narine eclipsed his previous best of 5/27 versus New Zealand in 2012.
Prior to Narine’s heroics, no one could have imagined what was to come, as South Africa winning the toss and batting, looked well in control despite the slow nature of the track. Openers Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla played without any alarms in adding 52 runs for the first wicket.
Wicketkeeper de Kock was in an especially punishing mood rattling off six boundaries in 30 of 34 balls - before he was bowled by Carlos Brathwaite in the 10th over. Amla perished two balls later, giving Narine his first scalp. Narine using the knuckle ball to good effect trapped the bearded one for 20 of 26 balls.
Riley Rossouw then took charge in the company of skipper AB de Villiers and they brought South Africa right back into the contest. Realising what was needed on the slow deck, the two rotated the strike nicely and kept the scorers busy. They added 78 runs for the third wicket in 20 overs and amazingly did not hit a boundary. As a matter of fact after the seventh over of the innings, there were no further boundaries struck.
With South Africa 140 for two and looking towards building a big total, Jerome Taylor got the wicket of the match—when he sent back de Villiers for 31. Narine then took over and the rest was history. Rossouw was his second victim for a well played 61 of 83 balls with two fours. It was the fourth time in seven innings that he scored over 50 runs against the West Indies.
South Africa’s total was their lowest against the West Indies in 24 years after they made scores of 180 and 152 in 1992.
www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2016-06-05/wind...-after-aussies-today
