By Patrick Compton.
Romario Shepherd smashed 26 off Kagiso Rabada’s final over to push the West Indies to a decent 220 for eight wickets against South Africa in the third and final KFC T20I at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Tuesday night.
The Proteas had looked set fair to restrict the visitors to a total under 200 when the West Indies lost their eighth wicket in the 16th over with the score on 167.
But Shepherd, nicely assisted by Azarri Joseph, added 59 in 26 balls – the biggest partnership of the innings – for the ninth wicket to give the islanders a respectable total.
The West Indies began well, with Kyle Mayers and Brandon King adding 39 for the first wicket in just 3.2 overs, including 22 off Lungi Ngidi’s errant first over, before Rabada in his first over bowled Mayers and then had the centurion in the last match, Johnson Charles, playing on first ball.
Nicholas Pooran and King then got stuck into Bjorn Fortuin as they enjoyed a 50 partnership before the tourists suddenly lost five wickets for 55, attempting too much against some more fierce pace from Anrich Nortje, in particular, who bowled in the upper 140s, taking 2-36 in his four overs.
When Ngidi made a good recovery to get rid of Pooran (41 in 19 balls) and Roston Chase it seemed that the visitors had tried almost too hard to fight fire with fire on a good pitch that nevertheless offered the pace bowlers a little more bounce and movement than was the case at SuperSport Park.
But Shepherd showed them the way at the death – and in Rabada’s closing over in particular – cracking two fours and three sixes in his 22-ball innings.
SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram (c), David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Wayne Parnell, Bjorn Fortuin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi.
WEST INDIES: Kyle Mayers, Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Rovman Powell (c), Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Alzarri Joseph, Jason Holder.