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De Villiers stars for S. Africa

Shaun Pollock bids emotional hometown farewell

DURBAN: A.B. de Villiers struck a confident 77 while Shaun Pollock bid an emotional home town farewell as South Africa beat the West Indies by five wickets at Kingsmead on Friday to maintain a perfect record in the one-day series.

Pollock, playing in his last match on his home ground before retiring after Sunday’s final match in Johannesburg, delighted a capacity crowd by hitting the winning boundary to seal South Africa’s win with 13 balls to spare in the fourth one-day international.

“We all wanted him to do so well today,” said captain Graeme Smith.

South Africa faced a bigger than expected target after an unbeaten last-wicket stand of 57 between Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards lifted the West Indies to a competitive total of 263 for nine. Taylor smashed 43 not out off 21 balls, while Edwards was undefeated on 12.

But Smith got South Africa off to a fast start, hammering 50 off 37 balls and dominating an opening stand of 77 with Herschelle Gibbs.

There was a brief wobble as Smith was caught at midwicket immediately after reaching his half-century and Jacques Kallis went for a single in the next over.

Gibbs followed for 39 with the total on 118 but de Villiers and J.P. Duminy put South Africa firmly on the way to victory with a fourth-wicket stand of 99.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies innings: B. Parchment lbw b Nel 48, S. Chattergoon c Boucher b Pollock 48, S. Chanderpaul c Smith b Botha 28, M. Samuels c Gibbs b Nel 4, D. Bravo (run out) 18, P. Browne c and b Morkel 34, D. Sammy c Boucher b Ntini 2, R. Lewis b Morkel 15, J. Taylor (not out) 43, D. Powell (run out) 0, F. Edwards (not out) 12; Extras (lb-8, nb-2, w-1): 11; Total (for nine wkts. in 50 overs): 263.

Fall of wickets: 1-97, 2-100, 3-108, 4-150, 5-155, 6-167, 7-200, 8-205, 9-206.

South Africa bowling: Pollock 10-3-38-1, Ntini 9-1-80-1, Nel 10-1-44-2, Morkel 10-0-60-2, Botha 10-0-32-1, Kallis 1-0-1-0.

South Africa: G. Smith c Chanderpaul b Sammy 50, H. Gibbs b Bravo 39, J. Kallis c Sammy b Edwards 1, A. de Villiers c Bravo b Powell 77, J. Duminy c Taylor b Bravo 44, S. Pollock (not out) 21, M. Boucher (not out) 21; Extras (lb-6, nb-1, w-6): 13; Total (for five wkts. in 47.5 overs): 266.

Fall of wickets: 1-77, 2-78, 3-119, 4-218, 5-228.

West Indies bowling: Taylor 9-0-48-0, Powell 10-1-49-1, Sammy 10-0-58-1, Edwards 5-0-39-0, Bravo 8.5-0-31-2, Lewis 5-0-35-0.

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