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At the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, the West Indies defeated South Africa in their third straight Twenty20 International series by defending 179 and dismantling a well-planned chase. South Africa lost 7 for 20 in 36 balls after being 129 for 3 in the 14th over, and they were bowled out for 149 in 19.4 overs, falling short by 30 runs.
Shai Hope signalled his intentions in this match after he slog-swept Bjorn Fortuin over midwicket to score his first boundary of the innings following a match-winning 51 in the first game. A scoring opportunity in the V behind the stumps was created by Hope’s pull off Kwena Maphaka in the following over, which went between the wicketkeeper and short fine.
Another way Alick Athanaze took advantage of that situation was by playing Lizaad Williams late through third. West Indies were 43 for 1 at the end of the powerplay before Hope produced her greatest shot. With the wind and turn, he hit Aiden Markram for two consecutive sixes over midwicket. To further highlight his propensity for leg-side play, he pulled Maphaka over cow corner and flicked Patrick Kruger over a wide fine leg for two more sixes.
Before Hope was caught at deep point trying to reach for a wide delivery from Kruger, he had hit 39 of his 41 runs on the leg side and was on track for his third fifty in four innings.
Hope was Kruger’s first wicket in a Twenty20 international match, and he quickly claimed his second. In the twelfth over, Kruger hit with the opening ball following a change of ends, but he followed the same strategy. He kept his line wide outside off, encouraging Roston Chase to try a long shot. Only enough was obtained by him to locate Maphaka on the outside of the point boundary, who successfully made a low catch to turn West Indies 94 for 3.
But the West Indies pulled ahead with 50 runs in their final five overs thanks to 47 off 28 balls for the fifth wicket shared by Sherfane Rutherford and Rovman Powell.
Reeza Hendricks hit the first boundary of South Africa’s reply when he lifted the final ball of Hosein’s opening over for four over midwicket, despite the ball not being very short. And it seemed like someone had turned on a switch. After hitting a wide ball from Matthew Forde over point and a full delivery through the covers, Hendricks appeared to only try a back-foot defensive block, which he timed well to get beyond mid-off for four more runs.
In the penultimate ball, he fell, but his 22 runs in five balls, including back-to-back sixes either side of the wicket, against Chase was his coup de grâce. This gave South Africa fifty within four overs and 71 in the powerplay. Hendricks lost 44 runs after under-edging Shepherd onto his stumps, but he appeared to be returning to his peak.
At the beginning of the innings, Hosein lost 17 runs in his first two overs before being replaced in the 14th. With a pivotal move, Hosein managed to fox Stubbs. Stubbs attempted to loft a slow-moving ball over long-off, but Fabian Allen, a replacement fielder, caught it because he could not get enough lift on it.
South Africa were 138 for 6 after 16 overs and needed 42 runs off 24 balls. Joseph and Shepherd took it out of South Africa’s reach and cleaned up the tail before Matthew Forde finished off the match