Pollard the star as Windies level series

A superb all-round performance by player of the match Kieron Pollard helped the West Indies level the T20 international series when they beat South Africa by 21 runs at the National Cricket Stadium in St George’s in Grenada on Thursday.

The home team, put in to bat by South Africa, struggled against the tourists’ superb spinners, George Linde and Tabraiz Shamsi, but were rescued by an explosive unbeaten 51 in 25 balls by Pollard, who shared a scintillating unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 66 in 27 balls with Fabian Allen at the death to push the West Indies’ total to 167 for six.

But the South African batsmen were unable to offer any support for the indomitable Quinton de Kock whose 63 in 43 balls kept the tourists’ hopes alive.

Not for the first time in this series, however, the dashing left-hander was left with too much to do as his fellow batsmen failed around him.

De Kock struck six fours and two sixes in his innings, but the next highest scores came from Aiden Markram (20) and Kagiso Rabada (16 not out). Once again David Miller failed to fulfil the “finisher” role, falling for 12 runs.

This was the moment when canny medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo showed his class as he tore through the vulnerable South African tail, recording his best T20I figures of 4-19.

The veteran was given excellent assistance by Pollard whose 1-24 in his four overs helped to stymie the South African run chase, while Andre Russell also weighed in with a useful 2-30.

'LONE RANGER'

This means that the series, now level at 2-2, will now go to a decider at the same venue on Saturday.

Proteas’ skipper Temba Bavuma conceded that the Windies were worthy winners. “Our batsmen didn’t pitch up today, except for Quinton who was our lone ranger,” he said.

Bavuma praised his side’s bowlers, particularly his two spinners who "stopped their innings", but admitted that the death bowling, when they conceded 55 runs in the last three overs, was below par.

“We didn’t hit our straps in the last three overs – it wasn’t the death bowling we were looking for – and they capitalised on that and put us under a lot of pressure.”

The West Indies’ innings was a strange affair, bookending some hesitant batting with some explosive hitting at the beginning and end of their knock.

Lendl Simmons blasted the opening over from Aidan Markram for 20, while Pollard and Allen smashed 55 off the final three overs delivered by Ngidi and Rabada who conceded 25 off his final over.

POOR SHOTS

In between those highs, however, the Proteas’ spinners ruled the roost, with the world’s No 1 T20I bowler, Tabraiz Shamsi, taking 2-13 in his spell of four overs while Linde, no less effective, finished with 2-16 in his spell.

Altogether the pair took 4-29 in eight overs, bringing the early West Indies’ momentum to a juddering halt.

Having reached a useful 57 for two wickets in the power play, the home team only managed a further 14 runs in the next five overs for the loss of two wickets.

For the West Indies, Lendl Simmons struck 47 in 34 balls before he was LBW sweeping against Linde, while Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran and Andre Russell seemed to have little idea of how to handle the spinners, all falling to poor shots born of frustration.

It was only when the spinners had finished their spells that the innings thrived at the death with Pollard striking five sixes and two fours in his sixth T20I half-century as he and Allen went on a late scoring spree.

WEST INDIES: Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Kieron Pollard (capt), Andre Russell, Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Obed McCoy, Fidel Edwards

SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma (capt), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngid