Shaun Pollock said he felt as though he was on "cloud nine" as he produced a bowling masterclass to propel South Africa to a resounding 86-run win in the second one-day international against the West Indies at Newlands on Friday.
Playing in his 300th one-day international, and his final match at Newlands before he retires at the end of the series, Pollock strangled the West Indian batsmen as they set out to chase South Africa's total of 255 for nine.
Pollock took two for 13 in 10 overs while his every move was cheered by a crowd of 18,000 and he received a standing ovation when he finished his stint.
PHOTO: AFP
Graeme Smith was the anchor of the South African innings, making 86, but was trumped by Pollock for the man of the match award.
"I've had some wonderful experiences in Cape Town," Pollock said. "It was just great. You almost feel you're on cloud nine out there with the crowd cheering everything you do. You almost feel you need to calm them down."
The result, which put South Africa 2-0 ahead in the series, was a foregone conclusion long before the West Indian innings petered out at 169 with 10 balls remaining.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul made 54 before being ninth out.
Fast bowler Morne Morkel took four for 36.
The West Indies made a good start to the match when fast bowler Jerome Taylor dismissed Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis to reduce the hosts to 18 for two.
Smith shared stands of 91 with AB de Villiers (45) and 72 with JP Duminy (68) as South Africa staged a recovery.
Taylor took four for 34 and bowled an excellent last over in which he conceded only one run while three wickets fell, including two run-outs.
After 11 overs from Taylor and Fidel Edwards the total was only 34 but the tempo lifted when Ravi Rampaul came on as the first change bowler.
De Villiers hit his first three balls for 4, 6, 4 and added another boundary as 18 runs were scored off the over.
De Villiers survived a confident appeal for a legside catch behind off Edwards and took 16 balls to score his first run. But he then batted fluently to make his 45 off 59 balls.
Smith struggled early on but went on to make his 86 off 107 balls with 11 fours before edging off-spinner Marlon Samuels to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.
Pollock started with two maidens to put the West Indians on the back foot from the start of their innings.
Then he had Brenton Parchment caught at backward point off the splice of his bat in his third over. Pollock's first spell was 7-3-10-1.
Morkel took two wickets off successive balls and Pollock snuffed out any hopes the Windies might have had when he came on for his second spell in the 31st over.
He again started with two maidens and his accuracy produced a run-out when Dwayne Bravo tried to get off strike. Then he bowled Denesh Ramdin to take his 390th one-day international wicket.
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