Finally, A Win For The West Indies

By NAN Sports Editor

News Americas, ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Fri. July 2, 2021: After several losses that left many fans devastated, the West Indies cricket team bounded back with a win Thursday.

The Windiesdefeated visitor’s South Africa by 21 runs in the fourth Twenty20 International at the Grenada National Stadium to level the five-match Twenty20 series at 2-2. Skipper Kieron Pollard was named Man of the Match for his 51 non-out.  Pollard produced a late onslaught to smash 51 from 25 balls, including five sixes, to boost the West Indies total after they had again been slowed by South Africa’s twin spin threat of left-armers Tabraiz Shamsi (2-13 in four overs) and George Linde (2-16 in four overs).

Dwayne Bravo helped to keep the Proteas in check with career-best figures of 4-19.

“I was just happy to be there at the end to make an important contribution,” said Pollard. “I must commend Bravo’s effort with the ball as well, especially as he has faced a lot of unnecessary criticism with people saying he is too old now to be a productive member of this team.”

The scores were as follows:

WEST INDIES

L Simmons lbw b Linde 47

E Lewis c Markram b Nortje 7

C Gayle c wkp de Kock b Rabada 5

S Hetmyer c wkp de Kock b Linde 7

+N Pooran c van der Dussen b Shamsi 16

*K Pollard not out 51

A Russell c Nortje b Shamsi 9

F Allen not out 19

Extras (b1, lb1, w4) 6

TOTAL ( 6 wkts, 20 overs) 167

Did not bat: D Bravo, O McCoy, F Edwards

Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Lewis, 2.1 overs), 2-32 (Gayle, 3.3), 3-63 (Hetmyer, 9), 4-70 (Simmons, 10.5), 5-89 (Pooran, 13.3), 6-101 (Russell, 15.3)

Bowling: Markram 1-0-20-0, Ngidi 4-0-48-0 (w2), Nortje 4-0-32-1, Rabada 3-0-36-1 (w1), Linde 4-0-16-2, Shamsi 4-0-13-2 (w1)

SOUTH AFRICA

+Q de Kock c Simmons b Bravo 60

R Hendricks st Pooran b Gayle 2

*T Bavuma lbw b McCoy 7

Aiden Markram b Russell 20

R van der Dussen c wkp Pooran b Pollard 6

D Miller c Gayle b Russell 12

G Linde c Simmons b Bravo 6

K Rabada not out 16

T Shamsi c Gayle b Bravo 0

L Ngidi c Simmons b Bravo 0

A Nortje not out 4

Extras ( (b5, lb3, w4, nb1) 13

TOTAL (9 wkts, 20 overs) 146

Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Hendricks, 1.1 overs), 2-36 (Bavuma, 4.2), 3-62 (Markram, 9.1), 4-75 (Dussen, 10.4), 5-94 (Miller, 13.3), 6-110 (Linde, 15.2), 7-126 (de Kock, 17.1), 8-126 (Shamsi, 17.3), 9-127 (Ngidi, 18)

Bowling: Edwards 2-0-21-0, Gayle 2-0-11-1 (w1), McCoy 4-0-33-1 (w2, nb1), Russell 4-0-30-2 (w1), Bravo 4-0-19-4, Pollard 4-0-24-1.

The series decider will be played at the same venue tomorrow, Saturday, July 3, 2021.