KINGSMEAD acknowledged an emotional T20 century from opening batsman Morné van Wyk last night as he carried his bat for 114 in the Proteas’ total of 195/3 in the third and final bash, the West Indies having already won the series 2-0 heading into the clash.
It was the backbone, together with David Wiese’s bowling, that gave the Proteas a 69-run win, preventing a 3-0 Windies whitewash.
Called into the side to replace the injured Quinton de Kock, Van Wyk (35) saved his best for what can now be called his home fans, on familiar turf, as he reached his century from 67 balls, with nine fours and five sixes.
It was rich reward for one of South African domestic cricket’s senior statesman and his reaction — running through with arms raised, dropping his bat after completing the run, removing his helmet and rubbing his eyes — said it all.
It meant so much to him and could not have happened to a nicer bloke.
“On 98 it suddenly hit me, I could make a century for my country.
“One of the umpires told me to just keep breathing and I cannot describe the feeling, with my wife and children, friends and team-mates here to support me,” Van Wyk.
It all panned out after West Indian captain Darren Sammy won the toss for the third successive time and asked the Proteas to bat, “preferring to chase”, as he put it. Most of the Protea big guns were rested and in came Reeza Hendricks, Wayne Parnell and JP Duminy, the latter in for David Miller who withdrew due to back spasms.
The Kingsmead curse continued to hound Chris Gayle, who was out the West Indian side with his regular back problem and there was a feeling the solid 14 624 crowd had been cheated with the biggest hitters from both sides watching from the changeroom.
They need not have worried, Hendricks (42) and Van Wyk putting together 111 for the first wicket, a record opening stand for South Africa against the West Indies, the pair parted in the 13th over.
Van Wyk made the most of nearly been run out going for his first run and being dropped by Dwayne Smith at backward point when he had a single.
David Wiese (21), promoted as a pinch-hitter to number three in the order, added 47 with Van Wyk and Rilee Rossouw, with nothing to lose, heaved at his first ball to send a skier to keeper Andre Fletcher.
Duminy smashed his first ball for a massive six over long on, having last taken guard in early November, in Australia.
There was much to be desired in the West Indian bowling as they all came in for some stick, none of the seven bowlers taking two wickets as they went for plenty.
In reply, the visitors looked to be off to another flying start as Lendl Simmons took to Parnell in his first over which went for 23, but the loss of Smith (5), Marlon Samuels (6) and Simmons (49) had the West Indies having to dig deep at 72/4 at the halfway stage, compared to the Proteas’ 96/0.
Unlike the previous two games, the West Indies never settled with no partnerships of substance, the best being 48 for the first wicket.
Wickets at regular intervals had them having to consolidate while also having to score runs, any chances gobbled up by the Proteas, including Van Wyk, enjoying the match of his life, who held a swirler from Dwayne Bravo (12).
Toward the end, it looked as though the West Indies were just going through the motions as they succumbed for 126 all out in 19 overs, thanks to Wiese’s 5/23 in his four overs, the second best figures for South Africa in T20 International cricket after Ryan McLaren’s 5/19, also against the Windies, in 2010.
Parnell (2/33) and Marchant de Lange (2/26) were also among the wickets, while Protea skipper Justin Ontong held three catches.
SCOREBOARD
South Africa
M. van Wyk not out114
R. Hendricks c Smith b Pollard42
D. Wiese b Bravo21
R. Rossouw c Fletcher b Cottrell0
JP Duminy not out7
Extras: (lb1, nb1, w9)11
TOTAL: (3 wkts, 20 overs)195
Fall of wickets: 1-111 (Hendricks), 2-158 (Wiese), 3-171 (Rossouw)
Bowling: Cottrell 4-0-33-1, Brathwaite 3-0-42-0(3w), Russell 2-0-24-0, Nurse 2-0-22-0, Bravo 4-0-38-1 (1nb, 1w), Samuels 3-0-22-0, Pollard 2-0-13-1(1w)
West Indies
D. Smith b Phangiso5
L. Simmons c Duminy b Wiese49
M. Samuels c Ontong b Wiese6
A. Fletcher c Abbott b Parnell2
D. Bravo c Van Wyk b Wiese12
K. Pollard not out20
A. Russell c Ontong b Parnell12
D. Sammy c Ontong b Wiese8
C. Brathwaite c Hendricks b Wiese1
A. Nurse c Duminy b De Lange3
S. Cottrell b De Lange0
Extras: (lb1, w7)8
TOTAL: (19 overs)126
Fall of wickets: 1-48 (Smith), 2-60 (Samuels), 3-68 (Simmons), 4-71 (Fletcher), 5-84 (Bravo), 6-100 (Russell), 7-114 (Sammy), 8-116 (Brathwaite), 9-125 (Nurse)
Bowling: Abbott 3-0-14-0 (1w), De Lange 4-0-26-2 (2w), Parnell 3-0-33-2 (2w), Phangiso 4-0-23-1, Wiese 4-0-23-5 (2w), Duminy 1-0-6-0
Result: South Africa won by 69 runs
Series: West Indies won the three-match series 2-1.
