Toss: West Indies. West Indies' stubborn fightback after crashing against Kenya carried them through against favourites South Africa. A century from Lara – 111 in 94 balls – set up their victory and it was completed by the spin of Jimmy Adams and Harper, who turned the game with three wickets in the first over of his second spell. At the start, though, the spinners in the news were the South Africans, Symcox and Paul Adams: uncharacteristically, South Africa played both, omitting Donald from their pace attack. But Lara, gaining confidence after a wary start, thrived on spin. Five of his 16 fours came from one over by Symcox, and a second-wicket stand with Chanderpaul of 138 from 25 overs promised a big total. However, after Symcox returned for his belated revenge – finding Lara's top edge as he tried to sweep – the later order struggled. The final ten overs brought only 48 runs, 16 off the last one, bowled by Adams. South Africa were also propelled by their second-wicket pair: Hudson and Cullinan, who struck three sixes, had taken the score to 118 for one at the halfway mark. It was slow left-armer Jimmy Adams, not normally a frontline bowler, who made the breakthrough, removing both of them in 15 balls and dismissing Cronje, for a hard-hitting 40, in his final over. Harper then replaced him and with his first delivery had Rhodes caught by Adams on the mid-wicket boundary. His next ball trapped McMillan lbw and, three balls later, he dived to take a left-handed return catch from Palframan. Symcox attempted to rescue South Africa's campaign with two sixes. Harper was the bowler but he had the last laugh, making Pollock his fourth victim and then catching Symcox in the very next over.

Man of the Match: B. C. Lara.

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