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South Africa seal series victory
By Jamie Lillywhite
Pollock captured a wicket on his final day of Test action
Third Test, Durban (day three):
South Africa 556-4d bt West Indies 139 & 317 by an inns & 100 runs
Match scorecard
Marlon Samuels struck a century but West Indies were all out for 317 on day three as South Africa won the deciding Test by an innings and 100 runs.
Resuming 394 runs behind on 23-0, the tourists lost Brenton Parchment early on to the impressive Dale Steyn.
Shaun Pollock struck in his first over on his final Test day, while Shiv Chanderpaul (ill) was unable to bat.
Dwayne Bravo (75) and Samuels (105) shared a bold 144 in 244 balls, but both fell to Steyn who ended with 6-72.
Steyn caused problems immediately, producing some unplayable deliveries that zipped off the seam at pace.
It was no surprise when he pinned opener Parchment on the crease in the fourth over of the morning, and no surprise when he soon collected his eighth five-wicket haul in only his 18th Test.
Bravo played some scintillating strokes in his attractive 75
The West Indians continued to play their shots, which was enjoyable when they connected, but looked reckless when they chose the wrong ball to attack.
Bravo brought up 100 for the West Indies with an exquisite back foot drive for four, but next ball on eight was deceived by an Andre Nel slower one, the paceman spilling a reasonably straightforward return chance.
It gave the all-rounder the chance to display his considerable skills with the bat, and he combined some calypso drives on the up and pulls with beautifully timed shots with the straightest of bats that any of his legendary predecessors would have been proud of.
He reached his ninth Test fifty in delightful fashion from 67 balls when a back foot punch whistled back past bowler Steyn and gave him his 11th four.
606: DEBATE
We had the highs and the lows with the Windies in this series, and the lows as usual were pretty low, but there are positives to take
onlyonejohnbarnes
Samuels recorded the century partnership with an emphatic pull to the boundary, beginning a memorable brief passage of play with the ever-combative Nel.
The next ball was short and carved over the slips by Samuels.
Nel's rapidly increasing blood pressure then reached new levels when the next one was edged between the keeper and solitary slip, who had just been moved wider.
After the two cavalier batsmen negotiated the afternoon session unscathed, their exciting partnership was broken in the first over after tea when Bravo missed a straight one playing across the line.
Dinesh Ramdin played some inventive strokes, striking five fours in 25 in a stand of 41 with Samuels, but then needlessly chased a wide one from Nel.
Graeme Smith chose to delay taking the new ball by two overs, but when he did it brought immediate rewards, as Steyn produced another magnificent delivery with the third ball with the new cherry.
He pitched it on middle and off and the ball rattled the top of the off pole to beat the defensive stroke of Samuels.
The exuberance of Steyn's celebrations was noted by umpire Simon Taufel and the paceman may find himself short of several rand at the end of the contest.
It did not stop his ruthless destruction of the West Indies tail, and after dismissing Darren Sammy and Daren Powell in three balls, he returned in his next over to apply the coup de grace and shatter the stumps of last man Fidel Edwards.
However, it was fittingly Pollock who was chaired off at his home ground as he left the Test arena for the final time.
It was an unfortunate finish to the series for the West Indians, who looked to have turned the tide by winning the first match at Port Elizabeth, their first Test victory since May 2005.
Key players were missing for the third and final Test, acting skipper Chris Gayle joining regular captain Ramnaresh Sarwan on the sidelines, but coach John Dyson will need to get more from his players in the one-day series later this month.
By Jamie Lillywhite
Pollock captured a wicket on his final day of Test actionThird Test, Durban (day three):
South Africa 556-4d bt West Indies 139 & 317 by an inns & 100 runs
Match scorecard
Marlon Samuels struck a century but West Indies were all out for 317 on day three as South Africa won the deciding Test by an innings and 100 runs.
Resuming 394 runs behind on 23-0, the tourists lost Brenton Parchment early on to the impressive Dale Steyn.
Shaun Pollock struck in his first over on his final Test day, while Shiv Chanderpaul (ill) was unable to bat.
Dwayne Bravo (75) and Samuels (105) shared a bold 144 in 244 balls, but both fell to Steyn who ended with 6-72.
Steyn caused problems immediately, producing some unplayable deliveries that zipped off the seam at pace.
It was no surprise when he pinned opener Parchment on the crease in the fourth over of the morning, and no surprise when he soon collected his eighth five-wicket haul in only his 18th Test.
Bravo played some scintillating strokes in his attractive 75The West Indians continued to play their shots, which was enjoyable when they connected, but looked reckless when they chose the wrong ball to attack.
Bravo brought up 100 for the West Indies with an exquisite back foot drive for four, but next ball on eight was deceived by an Andre Nel slower one, the paceman spilling a reasonably straightforward return chance.
It gave the all-rounder the chance to display his considerable skills with the bat, and he combined some calypso drives on the up and pulls with beautifully timed shots with the straightest of bats that any of his legendary predecessors would have been proud of.
He reached his ninth Test fifty in delightful fashion from 67 balls when a back foot punch whistled back past bowler Steyn and gave him his 11th four.
606: DEBATE We had the highs and the lows with the Windies in this series, and the lows as usual were pretty low, but there are positives to take
onlyonejohnbarnes
Samuels recorded the century partnership with an emphatic pull to the boundary, beginning a memorable brief passage of play with the ever-combative Nel.
The next ball was short and carved over the slips by Samuels.
Nel's rapidly increasing blood pressure then reached new levels when the next one was edged between the keeper and solitary slip, who had just been moved wider.
After the two cavalier batsmen negotiated the afternoon session unscathed, their exciting partnership was broken in the first over after tea when Bravo missed a straight one playing across the line.
Dinesh Ramdin played some inventive strokes, striking five fours in 25 in a stand of 41 with Samuels, but then needlessly chased a wide one from Nel.
Graeme Smith chose to delay taking the new ball by two overs, but when he did it brought immediate rewards, as Steyn produced another magnificent delivery with the third ball with the new cherry.
He pitched it on middle and off and the ball rattled the top of the off pole to beat the defensive stroke of Samuels.
The exuberance of Steyn's celebrations was noted by umpire Simon Taufel and the paceman may find himself short of several rand at the end of the contest.
It did not stop his ruthless destruction of the West Indies tail, and after dismissing Darren Sammy and Daren Powell in three balls, he returned in his next over to apply the coup de grace and shatter the stumps of last man Fidel Edwards.
However, it was fittingly Pollock who was chaired off at his home ground as he left the Test arena for the final time.
It was an unfortunate finish to the series for the West Indians, who looked to have turned the tide by winning the first match at Port Elizabeth, their first Test victory since May 2005.
Key players were missing for the third and final Test, acting skipper Chris Gayle joining regular captain Ramnaresh Sarwan on the sidelines, but coach John Dyson will need to get more from his players in the one-day series later this month.
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