ODI: Hope’s 128* trumps Bavuma’s 144 as West Indies take series lead
SUMMARY: West Indies 335-8 from 50 overs (Shai Hope 128*, Rovman Powell 46, Nicholas Pooran 39, Kyle Mayers 36, Brandon King 30; Gerald Coetzee 3-57, Bjorn Fortuin 2-57, Tabraiz Shamsi 2-62) vs South Africa 287 all out from 41.4 overs (Temba Bavuma 144, Quinton de Kock 48; Alzarri Joseph 3-53, Akeal Hosein 3-59)
Temba Bavuma’s career-best was not enough for South Africa in the second ODI against West Indies as the visitors staged a commendable fightback to successfully defend 335.
Bavuma hit a blistering 144, but waged a lone battle in the tall chase as West Indies, led by Shai Hope’s 128*, prevailed by 48 runs on a day that clearly belonged to the two captains.
With a huge score in front of them, the hosts actually made a terrific start to the chase with Quinton de Kock going berserk in the Powerplay. He hammered three sixes and a couple of fours off Alzarri Joseph in the space of two overs to send him out of the attack as South Africa raced to 67 inside eight overs.
De Kock, who had already made 48 by then, was stopped by a Kyle Mayers leg-cutter. Bavuma then took charge and slammed the same bowler for a four and a six to bring up fifty as the hosts continued to remain in control.
Debutants Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi showed promise and built useful partnerships alongside Bavuma with the skipper fetching regular boundaries at the other end. At one stage, South Africa were coasting at 183-2 after just 24 overs and were well on course to getting the job done with ease.
But once the two debutants fell, West Indies ran through the middle-order, getting rid of Rassie van der Dussen and Tristan Stubbs cheaply, leaving Bavuma with a lot to do in the second half.
Bavuma brought up his century soon after and Marco Jansen made a promising start to his innings by fetching a couple of quick boundaries. But Akeal Hosein inflicted a double blow as Jansen and Bjorn Fortuin were dismissed in the same over to leave South Africa seven down.
From thereon, South Africa needed something special. And at one stage, it did look like they might end up doing that as Bavuma switched on the gears to take on the visitors. From 102 off 94, Bavuma moved to 144 off just 117 balls.
Yannic Cariah was taken to the cleaners by the skipper as he smashed him for three sixes in a single over that gave South Africa hope again. In the final 10 overs, South Africa needed only 54, but Alzarri prized out Bavuma to dash South Africa’s hopes and deliver his side a huge win.
Earlier in the day, West Indies made a watchful start in the opening three overs before Brandon King got the visitors going with successive boundaries. Mayers went one step ahead and took on Jansen for two fours and a six in a single over as West Indies made a bright start.
Gerald Coetzee then conceded 18 runs in his first over with Mayers putting on a show. The left-hander was stopped with a very ordinary delivery by Fortuin as the batter found the fielder at deep midwicket.
South Africa then made the most of the opening by fetching two more quick wickets to take control of the contest again.
But the see-saw battle saw West Indies gain the upper hand again in the match after Hope eased into his new middle order role by stitching two valuable partnerships – one with Nicholas Pooran and the other with Rovman Powell.
While both Pooran and Powell turned on the heat, they couldn’t make their starts count. South Africa did manage to strike regularly at the death but Hope stood tall and managed to consistently clear the ropes to help West Indies post 335 on the board.
For a player who had always gained a reputation for being an anchor, Hope smashed seven sixes in his innings, a feat that was matched by Bavuma later in the night to no avail. (cricbuzz)
