KALLIS CENTURY LEAVES WEST INDIES WITH HUGE TARGET IN THIRD ODI

Jacques Kallis struck his seventh one-day century, as the West Indies decision to go into the game with only four specialist bowlers came seriously into question.

The pitch is an absolute belter of a batting track, though, and the true value of having Ridley Jacobs down to come in as low as eight on the West Indies batting card may yet to be fully realised.

Kallis (107) continued where he left of in Antigua, where his 78 not out anchored South Africa's comfortable eight wicket win which levelled the series. His hundred at Queen's Park was beautifully compiled, most of the runs picked up in the middle overs as he worked the ball around for ones and twos.

Kallis reached his hundred in the 49th over with an enormous six over mid-on off Marlon Samuels, but was dropped by Neil McGarrell at long-on the next ball. Lance Klusener then took his turn with a straight six of his own as the over cost 16 runs. Kallis was eventually dismissed in the 50th over, murdering the ball back to Chris Gayle who made a stinging chance look remarkably simple.

South Africa bolted out of the blocks, reaching 88-1 after 15 overs. The man most responsible was Herschelle Gibbs (46) who again looked in the form of his life, marching down the wicket to both Mervyn Dillon and Cameron Cuffy to swat them disdainfully for straight sixes.

Gibbs was out in the 15th over as he top-edged a pull-sweep at left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell and was superbly caught at mid-wicket by Ricardo Powell. He faced 48 balls and struck four fours as well the two sixes.

Opening partner Gary Kirsten scored 50 in fluent style, the first time the left-hander has scored a half-century since his 150 in the first Test. He was out immediately afterwards though, run out by a direct hit from Gayle, after facing 65 balls and hitting seven fours.

Kallis and Jonty Rhodes then shared a partnership of 90 for the third wicket, the pair frustrating the West Indies with some fine placement and consistently aggressive running between the wickets.

Rhodes had made 47 when he swept at Carl Hooper's off-spin, the ball sqirming through his defences and clipping leg-stump hard enough to dislodge a bail.

Klusener was promoted to number five in a bid to capitalise on the fine platform over the last 10 overs, but the left-hander was largely kept in check by Carl Hooper and Gayle, the West Indian captain finishing with highly impressive figures of 10-1-31-1.

WEST INDIES ASK SOUTH AFRICA TO BAT IN THIRD ODI

The West Indies made two changes from the team that lost to South Africa in the second ODI in Antigua on Saturday, strengthening their batting by bringing in Wavell Hinds and Ricardo Powell for Leon Garrick and Nixon McLean.

In the South African team Makhaya Ntini was given his first run of the series at the expense of Roger Telemachus.

Teams

West Indies: Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Brian Lara, Ricardo Powell, Carl Hooper (capt), Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Neil McGarrell, Mervyn Dillin, Cameron Cuffy.

South Africa: Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Boeta Dippenaar, Shaun Pollock (capt), Mark Boucher, Lance Klusener, Justin Ontong, Allan Donald, Makhaya Ntini.

© CricInfo

Date-stamped : 05 May2001 - 23:05