/ 26 January 2008

Smith and Pollock shine in SA victory

South Africa beat West Indies by 86 runs in the second one-day international on Friday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

The home side totalled 255 for nine before bowling out West Indies for 169 in 48.2 overs.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith smashed 11 fours in his 86 while JP Duminy hit 68.

All-rounder Shaun Pollock shone in his 300th one-dayer for South Africa, taking two for 13 in 10 overs including five maidens, while fast bowler Morne Morkel claimed four for 36.

Pollock, who retires from the international arena at the end of the series, said he was choked with emotion when he took the field for his last one-dayer in Cape Town.

He was hailed as if he had scored a century when he was dismissed for 12 and later received a standing ovation for his bowling spell.

”It felt a little sad to realise I was playing my last game here,” Pollock told a news conference. ”I had to take a few more deep breaths as I walked out to bat but I told myself not to get out for nought.

Cloud nine

”You feel on cloud nine when you hear them [the crowd] cheering you. In fact you feel like you need to calm down a bit.”

West Indies lost the toss but made early inroads to reduce the opposition to 18 for two, paceman Jerome Taylor having Herschelle Gibbs caught behind for five and Jacques Kallis caught by Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the covers for seven.

Smith and AB de Villiers put on 91 for the third wicket before paceman Darren Sammy trapped De Villiers lbw for 45.

Duminy also helped Smith add 72 for the fourth wicket before the skipper was caught behind by Denesh Ramdin off spinner Marlon Samuels.

Taylor added Pollock and Johan Botha to his list of scalps to finish with four for 34 before an eventful final over yielded three wickets for West Indies, including that of run-out victim Duminy.

South Africa then bowled tightly to keep the visiting batsmen in check.

Chanderpaul top-scored with 54 in 83 balls but lacked support as Morkel, bowling a good line and length, worked his way through the order.

The third match in Port Elizabeth is on Sunday. – Reuters