Nicky Boje, South Africa's left-arm orthodox spinner, who has been getting considerable turn from this four-day old pitch, probably holds the key to the final day. He has already caused considerable problems with figures of 3-40 from 19 overs, dismissing Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, all left-handers.

Hinds may have gotten two poor decisions, but the two decisions cancelled each other out. Replays suggest that he had been given not out for a bat-pad catch when in fact he had hit the ball on to his pad. Subsequently, when he was indeed given out, in similar fashion, it did seem that he had not actually hit the ball that time.

In a simple equation, the West Indies need a further 222 to win the game while South Africa need six more wickets. Each team has six hours or a minimum of 90 overs, and an unpredictable, wearing pitch to achieve its respective objective.

If I were a betting man, I would probably put my money on the safe side, barring a torrential downpour, that South Africa would win some time between lunch and tea on Day 5.

Brian Lara, who scored 375 at the same venue in 1994 to post his still-standing world-record, would need to show similar resolve if the West Indies are to pull off an unlikely victory, and square the series. Lara is 5 not out, and has looked as scratchy as he has looked all season, while Ramnaresh Sarwan, experiencing Test cricket at its toughest, is 4 not out. For the West Indies to win this game, both will have to bat as neither has ever batted in their lives before.

Earlier, South Africa recovered from 156-7 to declare their second innings at 215-7, an overall lead of 322, thanks again to their absolutely cool captain Shaun Pollock, who, with Jacques Kallis, put on 59 for the unfinished eighth wicket. Pollock ended on 41 not out and Kallis 30 not out. The evergreen Courtney Walsh finished with 4-56.

To look at Pollock operate would suggest that the guy is so confident of his and his team's ability that he seldom seems bothered about anything except the job at hand.

Similarly, perhaps the West Indies cricketers should try desperately to emulate the efforts of Walsh, who keeps going, not because he has to, but because he knows that his personal professionalism requires him to either shape up or ship out. The West Indies are just not making it happen for themselves.

Now, the rest of the West Indies will be required to bat as they have not done in this series so far. Meanwhile, South Africa hold all of the trumps to go 2-0 up in the series, unless, of course, a miracle happens. Again, I would not hold my breath.

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