An explosive 54-ball hundred from Heinrich Klaasen powered South Africa to a crushing four-wicket win in the third and final ODI against West Indies at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom on Tuesday (March 21). The result meant that the three-match series ended 1-1.
South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl, restricting the tourists to 260 all out.
They got into trouble early on in their reply as they slipped to 87-4, only to cruise to victory thanks to Klaasen’s power hitting with an astonishing 123 balls remaining in the innings.
Earlier in the day, West Indies posted a middling total of 260 that was largely built around Brandon King’s fifty with small contributions from Nicholas Pooran and Jason Holder.
The platform was set for another big score with King driving the innings to a comfortable position of 110/1 inside the 20-over-mark.
That’s when Shamarh Brooks got run out, slipping mid-pitch while trying to abort a single. King fell soon after and thereafter, the innings witnessed wickets at regular intervals.
South Africa made a poor start to their own innings, however, as they lost four wickets inside 13 overs.
But then it was Klaasen’s time to shine. First, he put on 55 with David Miller (17) and then added 103 for the sixth wicket together with all-rounder Marco Jansen, who scored a career-best 43 from 33 balls, before the latter became the third victim for the pick of the West Indies bowlers, Joseph (3-50).
Klaasen reached his second ODI century in 54 balls and saw the innings through to the end as South Africa avenged their 48-run defeat in the second ODI on Saturday. The first game was washed out by rain without a ball bowled.
Speaking after their four-wicket loss to South Africa in the final one-dayer at Senves Park, Hope said it was crucial that the West Indies bring a “winning attitude” to every series.
“Really and truly, I would like to see the attitude improve. I think we need to show that die-hard fight a lot longer.”
“We know that winning is a habit and the same way winning is a habit, losing can be a habit as well so we need to find ways to turn that around and just fight as hard as you can.”
“You never know, cricket is one of those games where you never know what’s going to happen in the back end, so as long as you put that effort in and you have that attitude to win, things normally happen in your favor.”
“We need to create winning habits and the only way to do that is by winning games and finding ways to win games.”
The 26-year-old fast bowler Alzzari Joseph, who led the attack by taking 12 wickets in the concluded Test series, was again in the lead and managed to take 6 wickets in the two matches.
Commenting on him, the captain said that every player on the team should learn something from him.
“One thing about Alzarri – any time I throw the ball to him or any previous captain [threw the ball to him], you always expect something to happen.”
“He’s one of those guys that gives his all regardless of the situation and it is something I think all of us as players need to take a leaf out of his book.”
“He’s just one of those exciting guys who’s always willing to learn, he’s always willing to improve, he’s always asking questions, watching videos – all those things just to improve his game.”
“So definitely we need to look at that and hopefully we can incorporate it into everyone’s game.”
The teams start a three-match T20 International series in Pretoria on Saturday.