dream chase by WI at New Wanderers - Kyle Abbot, worst figures in T20

When West Indies were trounced by an innings inside three days in the two Tendulkar farewell Tests in India in November 2013,  Clive Lloyd the former captain commented that they "looked drunk on T20".  It is the team which ruled the Cricketing World bulldozing others in the 1970s and 1980s.  Clvie Lloyd led them to glory in the inaugural World Cup in 1975 and repeated it with ease in 1979.  Now for the 2015 version, Off-spinner Sunil Narine, who was reported twice for suspect bowling action during the Champions League T20 in India last year,  has been  named in West Indies’ 15-member squad for the World Cup beginning next month, but former captain Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard were left out. All-rounder Jason Holder has been retained as captain after he led the team in the South Africa ODI series. Opener Chris Gayle is the most experienced player in the squad.

WI is on a tour to South Africa  and the hosts were at the wrong end of a Gayle-force, finding no control with the ball in the first T20.  After  a slow start, with Gayle scoring 1 off his first six deliveries,  came the beating as Gayle made the  fastest fifty by a West Indian, from 17 balls.

A few minutes ago, in an unbelievable chase, WI mowed down a target of 232 and won by 4 wickets with 4 balls to spare.  Chris Gayle once again was on fire, Marlon Samuels also played a cracking knock and the deadliest finisher in T20, Darren Sammy, was on hand to finish the job.  Jimmy Anderson and Sanath Jayasuriya would feel relieved by this carnage at New Wanderers. 

SA aided by a century by Faf du Plessis (119 off 56 balls) with Miller’s (47 off 26) made 231 in 20 overs.  Smith fell early and then came the 152 run partnership between Gayle and Marlon Samuels in less than 12 overs.  Gayle made 90 off 41 and Samuels 60 off 39.  Darren Sammy the Captain finished it in style with a huge six of de Lange.   Kyle Abbot had figures of 4-0-68-0; de Lange went for 42 in 3.2; D Wiese 43 off 4. 

The previous worst figures had been those of Jimmy Anderson 64 in 4 against Australia at Sydney in Jan 2007; Sanath Jayasuriya 43/4 against Pak in Sept 2007; Rubel Hossain 63/4 against WI at Dhaka in Dec 2012 and Mashrafe Mortaza 63/4 Vs Pak in Mar 2014.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

11^th Jan 2014 @ 10.15 pm.