The series may be won, but don't anyone tell the South Africans that the fifth Test against the West Indies which begins at Sabina Park on Thursday is any less important than the four which have preceded it.

There are always a bundle of platitudes offered ahead of a dead rubber, but somehow the South African desire to rub salt into some gaping West Indian wounds has a very real ring of truth about it.

Donald - ready to go Photo CricInfo

"There's everything to play for," said veteran fast bowler Allan Donald, now back to full fitness and expected to take his place in the starting eleven. "We can't take our foot off the pedal now - we've got to go out there and make sure that we finish it off 3-0. The West Indies are probably going to come out and play positive cricket and try and get some kind of a result, but we can't afford to be relaxed. We've got to go out there with the same intensity that we've had in four previous Tests."

It's a view echoed by coach Graham Ford, keenly aware that South Africa's rivals for global bragging rights will be significantly more impressed by a 3-0 series win, a feat achieved by just one side here in the Caribbean, the 1955 Australians captained by Ian Johnson.

"I think everybody's fairly relieved that the job's been done because it has been a very tough series with a lot of tough cricket up until now," Ford said. "But I also feel that there's a desire to make it 3-0 rather than 2-1.

"There won't be any trouble motivating the guys for the fifth Test. We're well aware that the rest of the cricketing world have their eyes on this series and a 3-0 result shows a real position of strength. It would also be good to create a psychological 'plus-factor' going into the one-day internationals."

The main selection dilemma for the South Africans is whether to go into the test without a spinner. With Nicky Boje now back in South Africa for surgery on his shoulder and Donald fit and raring to go, the choice would appear to be between the unorthodox left-arm spin of Paul Adams ot the all-round abilities of Justin Kemp. However, at practice on Wednesday, captain Shaun Pollock appeared to indicate that both players could get the nod, with Makhaya Ntini standing down.

"I'm always a bit loathe to go into a Test match without a spinner" Pollock said. "Nicky Boje not being here does upset the balance of the side because he gives us that extra batting option coming in at nine, so we might have to wangle things a bit and, for example, maybe Justin Kemp plays and we leave out one of the big quicks to give us more depth in our batting. We'll talk about it tonight but I think I would be very loathe to go into the Test without a spinner."

Of course, Pollock has already on this tour referred to Lance Klusener as 'our version of a spinner', so it is quite possible that Ntini will retain his place and and Adams will miss out.

Walsh - final Test match Photo CricInfo

Whatever eleven the South Africans name on Thursday morning, the Sabina Park Test is unlikely to be about any of them. The game will be about one man, taking a final bow on his home stage.

It will of course be the last time the world will see cricket's leading wicket-taker, Courtney Walsh, glide into his languid, rangy delivery stride. It will be the fulfilment of a long-held desire to see out his career in front of his own fans.

"When I made the anouncement that I would tour Australia, I indicated that I'd be keen to finish at home and at that point in time I was told the last Test against South Africa was in Jamaica. That has not changed," Walsh said.

It should be quite a send-off.

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