Cronje inspires South African win

South Africa won by 55 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the seven-match series.

Tension was high after South African batsman Daryll Cullinan became the second player in limited overs international cricket to be given out ``handled the ball''.

West Indies seemed to be racing towards victory when opening batsmen Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Junior Murray hammered 88 in 11.3 overs in reply to South Africa's 274 for nine.

South Africa were without injured fast bowler Allan Donald and lost Shaun Pollock with a throat infection shortly before play.

With fellow paceman Lance Klusener, who had made a sparkling 64 earlier, off the field with a gashed leg after spiking himself while diving in the field in the first over of the West Indian innings, South Africa were in trouble.

Cronje called for a change of tactics. Astonishingly in a limited overs game, it was short-pitched bowling on a lively pitch which brought about victory.

Klusener, who needed six stitches in his right calf, returned to the field after 11 overs had been bowled and immediately came into the attack.

He had Chanderpaul caught hooking and ran out Junior Murray with a direct hit from backward square leg.

Klusener, Steve Elworthy and Jacques Kallis peppered the West Indians with short-pitched bowling, lifting into the rib cage and sometimes above the shoulder height allowed.

No fewer than eight deliveries were no-balled because of height but the tactic worked with five batsmen falling to lifting deliveries.

Kallis took three wickets for 24 runs and Cronje three for 40 with his medium pace.

Cronje had earlier hit 58 off 42 balls with three sixes and three fours, going to the crease after Cullinan's controversial dismissal.

Cullinan made 46 as an opening batsman before playing a ball from left-arm slow bowler Keith Arthurton hard into the ground. It bounced straight up and as it came down Cullinan took his right hand off the bat and caught it.

Although it did not seem likely the ball would pose any danger to the stumps, West Indian captain Brian Lara appealed and Cullinan was given out by umpire Dave Orchard.

Orchard referred to cricket's law 33 which states a batsman shall be given out on appeal ``if he wilfully touches the ball while in play with the hand not holding the bat unless he does so with the consent of the opposite side.''

It is one of cricket's most unusual dismissals and the only previous batsman to fall in the same way in a limited overs international was Mohinder Amarnath of India in a match against Australia in 1985/86.

There have been only four ``handled the ball'' dismissals in Test cricket, the most recent when Desmond Haynes was given out while playing for West Indies against India in 1983/84.

On a hard, true pitch South Africa batted solidly as the West Indian bowlers laboured in hot weather. Klusener, sent in as a pinch hitter at number three, made 64 off 74 balls while Cronje was in sparkling form.

Offspinner Carl Hooper took four wickets for 52 runs but Curtly Ambrose was the most impressive bowler, taking two for 31.