Rain keeps Proteas ahead with one to play

Heavy rain in Roseau Dominica forced the abandonment of the fourth ODI between South Africa and the West Indies and meant that the Saffers cannot lose their first-ever ODI series in the Caribbean. The West Indies will have to win the final match of the series tomorrow to draw 2-2.

The West Indies will probably feel most aggrieved at the intervention of the weather, as they had managed to bowl out the South African's for 139 in 43 of the allotted 48 overs. Their reply was cut short after just two overs, without them having lost a wicket.

South Africa's batting line-up has looked fragile since they scored just over 200 in the first match of the series. If their top order goes early they have limited ability to recover. It again proved to be the case in this match. Shandre Fritz and Trisha Chetty were back in the hutch with only 10 on the board. They then struggled to 26 in the 16th over before skipper Mignon du Preez holed out at midwicket. By the time they had got to the 22nd over the score had crept along to just 45 and five wickets were down. Cri-Zelda Brits and Dane van Niekerk finally managed to put together some steady progress, albeit in contrasting fashion - Brits brutal and van Niekerk more refined generally apart from a well-timed 6 over mid-on - taking the score to a respectable 101. But were run out within 5 runs, Brits by several yards attempting a suicidal run. The tail then tried to smash their way to 150, but failed and failed more importantly to use up their full quota of overs.

As it happened it mattered not as more rain - the game had already started late and been interrupted once - came to the Saffers' rescue. They would have had their work cut out defending such a low score.

Tuesday sees the final game in what has been an intriguing series, made all the more so by the West Indies' commendable efforts to broadcast the game via a live webstream, but their more lamentable efforts to give updates of the score anywhere on the net, or allow access to a live scorecard. We wait with bated breath for tomorrow's coverage.

scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/588496.html

MD
14/I/13