Latest update February 5th, 2025 11:03 AM
Dec 04, 2009 Sports
By Sean Devers in Barbados
Another raucous crowd at the Kensington Oval watched South Africa beat the West Indies by 10 runs on Wednesday night in the CLOB Masters 20/20 cricket competition to keep alive their chances of lifting the inaugural title and the US$50,000 first prize.
Man-of-the-Match David Callaghan smashed an entertaining 69 from 44 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes as South Africa made 164-3 off their allotted 20 overs in cool conditions, while Dale Benkenstein supported with an unbeaten 58.
South Africa, who lost their first Test on their return to Test cricket in 1992 against the West Indies at the Kensington Oval, then restricted the home team to 154-5 despite a cameo 25-ball 37 with 3 sixes from Collis King, while Jimmy Adams struggled to get the ball away on a flat track and fast outfield in his top score of 42.
The defeat left the West Indies out of the race for a place in Saturday’s final after they lost to England on Monday. They had beat Sri Lanka in the opening of the 4-team tournament.
South Africa elected to bat first under a clear night sky and an economical spell from pacer Courtly Ambrose (4-0-18-1) and a wicket from leg-spinner Rawle Lewis (4-0-27-1) left the Africans in early trouble at 35-2 in the 7th over.
The 44-year-old Callaghan and 35-year-old Skipper Benkenstein then joined forces in a 109-run 3rd wicket stand before Benkenstein was bowled leg stump by Carl Hooper in the 18th over. Lance Klaussner who hit Ambrose’s final delivery for 4, was unbeaten on 8.
Hooper, suffering from the ’flu’ finished with 1-26 from 3 overs for the West Indies who were handicapped by the loss of the in-form Gordon Greenidge who was forced to retire hurt on 16 at 48-1 after being hit on his thigh.
Stuart Williams was gain willing to counter-attack the fast bowlers with pulls while Greenidge, like he did against England 2 nights before, got going with his trade-mark back cut for 4 as the openers gave the hosts a 45-run start before Williams flicked Petrus deVillers to square-leg.
Hooper badly affected by his illness, received a standing ovation but looked terrible out of sorts and took 12 balls for his single before he edged deVillers to the keeper at 60-2 in the 11th over.
After Greenidge, who thumped Klusener for consecutive boundaries, retired and Adams was sent at the number four spot, the run rate dipped as the South African fast bowlers got plenty of swing with the white ball to keep the batsmen in check.
With the left-handed Adams, who hit just 4 sixes in his 54 Tests, unable to produce the big shots and the required run rate climbing, Collis King, a veteran 58-year-old known for his big hitting, tried to turn the match around with a pugnacious display before he was taken at long-off at 124-3 in the 17th over.
King registered the first six of the innings in the 15th over with the asking rate mounting to 13 and then clobbered off-spinner Pat Symcox for consecutive sixes in the next over to bring the crowd to life.
However his demise left too much work to be done and once Courtney Browne ran himself out, the West Indies needed 20 from the final over from Klusener to win.
Lewis missed the first, got a single off the next and Adams was bowled off the 3rd effectively ending the run chase.
Vasbert Drakes who proved very untidy with the ball, missed the 4th delivery, got a double off the 5th and ended the match with a 6 as the West Indies ended 10 short of victory.
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