WI vs SA 5th T20I Commentary - St George's (03 July 2021)

A slower length ball, outside off, Obed swings hard but misses. 27 needed off 5 now. 

 OUT! CAUGHT! Easily done. A slower short ball around off, McCoy looks to pull but does not get the required connection. Wiaan Mulder makes no mistake at deep mid-wicket. 27 needed off 4 balls now! 

Outside off, punched to covers for one. 

A slower short ball outside off, Fidel looks to upper cut it but misses. 

A slower length ball outside off, Fidel swings but misses. 

A slower length ball outside off, Fidel Edwards swings but misses again. SOUTH AFRICA WIN BY 25 RUNS AND WIN THE SERIES 3-2! 

A full ball outside off, driven through covers for one. 

OUT! CAUGHT! It is a brilliant catch by Bavuma and Bravo goes back without troubling the bowlers. Temba made it look simple, but this was never easy. A length ball, around off, Dwayne Bravo swings hard but the ball takes the outside edge and goes high towards point. Temba Bavuma goes back and takes a top catch. 29 needed off 10 balls. 

OUT! CAUGHT! Two-in-two for KG and that could be the game. Cannot blame Pooran as he had to look for the boundaries. A slower back of a length ball around off, Nicholas Pooran looks to heave it away but the ball takes the outside edge and goes high towards the keeper, where Quinton de Kock takes an easy catch. 29 needed in 9 now. 

Outside off, played to covers for one. 

Full toss outside off, sliced over point for one. 

A brilliant over for South Africa! A short ball outside off, the pull is missed by Akeal. 27 needed off the last over. 

Full on off, worked to covers for one. 

OUT! CAUGHT! Ngidi strikes and Shimron Hetmyer heads back. An important wicket for South Africa. On a length, around off, Shimron Hetmyer lofts this one towards long on, but David Miller takes this one easily. 44 needed in 16 balls. 

DJ gets off the mark! A fuller ball, outside off, jammed out to covers for one. 

SIX! That was hit with some power. On a length, outside off, Nicholas Pooran gets low and deposits this one over deep mid-wicket. 

SIX! Two-in-two for Pooran! Excellent hitting. On a length, outside off, this is clobbered over the long off region for a biggie. 

On a length outside off, worked through mid off for one. 30 needed off the last 12 balls. 

Fuller, way outside off, Pooran reaches out and taps it to point for one. 

A low full toss outside off, bunted to long on for one. 

A full toss outside off, lofted over covers for one. 

FOUR! Much needed boundary for the hosts. A slower length ball around off, this is heaved away to the deep square leg region for a boundary. 

Outside off, drilled to long on for a single. 

WIDE. Bowls this way too outside the off side, left alone. Wided. 

Slapped to sweeper cover for a single. 45 more needed in 18 balls. 

On off, tapped to third man for one. 

Flatter outside off, Pooran looks to cut but misses. 

Another dot! Flatter outside off, punched to covers. 

Floated around off, guided to point. 

A single now as Pooran works this through third man, via the outside edge. 

Dot to end! A wonderful spell comes to an end, as Tabraiz Shamsi finishes the series with figures of 4-0-11-1. Around middle, defended. 55 more needed in 24 balls. 

SIX! HUGE! Even if it does affect the skipper's game, Hetmyer is there to cover his back. Mulder dishes a full length ball, on off, Hetmyer gets under it and powers it over the mid-wicket fence for a maximum.

In the air..DROPPED! This is the second time Tabraiz Shamsi has put down Shimron Hetmyer in this innings. A short ball on off, Hetmyer looks to go big again, but take ball takes the outside edge and flies towards the point region. Tabraiz Shamsi gets under it and make a mess of it. The batters take a single.

 OUT! CAUGHT! The skipper departs, the injury really affected his play. Mulder serves a full toss outside off, Pollard goes after it but without moving his feet. He does not manage to get any distance on it and finds Aiden Markram at long off.

 OUT! CAUGHT! Two-in-two! Mulder has suddenly taken the game on his head. Russell the giant has to go back on a golden duck. The Proteas continue to impress in the field and this time it is Lungi Ngidi. A full length ball, outside off, Russell cuts it towards point. It stays above the ground. Ngidi dives in front of him to take a sharp low catch. A big, big blow for West Indies. Can South Africa capitalize on it? 

On off, Pooran pushes it to cover for a single.

A length ball, on middle, Hetmyer flicks it to mid-wicket for another single.

Full and outside off, Pollard pushes it to cover for a single. This also brings up the 100 for West Indies.

Full and on the pads, Hetmyer flicks it to square leg. Pollard calls for a run from the other end. But wait, he shouts in pain as he reaches the keeper's end. Maybe it is his hamstring. This looks bad. They still get the run.

On a length, on off, Pollard guides it to third man.

A fuller length ball, on off, Pollard flicks it through mid-wicket for a single. As, Pollard jogs his way to the other end. 

BEATEN! A length ball, outside off, Hetmyer looks to push it away but misses.

A length ball, on off Hetmyer pushes it to cover. The batters take a single. Hetmyer was looking for two, but the injured captain said no. Will this affect Pollard's game play?

SIX! BANG! Flatter and short on leg, Pollard goes back, makes room for himself and powers it over the long on fence for a maximum.

On off, kept out.

Looped up, on middle, Pollard flicks it to square leg for a single.

SIX! Shimron Hetmyer gets into the party in no time. A short ball, on off, Hetmyer gets low and slog sweeps it over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie. This will put the pressure back on South Africa.

On off, Shimron Hetmyer pushes it to mid off for a single.

LEG BYE! Floated on the pads. Pollard misses his flick and gets hit on the pads. The ball goes to the leg side. The batters take a leg bye. 70 more needed in 42 deliveries.

Loopy ball, on middle, Pollard works it to the leg side as he hit it on the spin.

Floated on off, Pollard looks to pull it but doesn't connect it well. 

Tossed up, on off, Pollard pushes it to the off side for a single.

DROPPED! The ball got carried but Shamsi was not able to grab it. Loppy ball, on off, Hetmyer prods and looks to defend it. The ball takes the leading edge and flies to the right of the bowler. But he was unable to get a hold of it. He is gutted.

On off, Hetmyer works it to mid off.

Flatter on off, Hetmyer cuts it to the off side. Another tidy over by Tabraiz Shamsi.

A full length ball, on off, Shimron Hetmyer drives it through cover for a single.

Full and outside off, Pollard dabs it out.

WIDE! Serves another full length delivery, but way outside off. Pollard leaves it. Wide called.

A length ball, outside off, Pollard pushes it to the left of extra cover. Temba Bavuma collects the ball and has a shy at the bowler's end, where Pollard was coming in. The replays show even if the wickets were hit, Pollard was in comfortably. A run off the ball.

WIDE! A length ball down the leg side, Hetmyer looks to pull it but misses. Wide given.

BEATEN! A slower length ball, outside off, Hetmyer looks to push it out but misses.

A length ball, on the pads, Shimron Hetmyer nudges it to the leg side for a single.

Full and outside off, Pollard has to reach out as he pushes it to sweeper cover for a single. A good over by the young lad Wiaan Mulder.

Tap and run! Around off, pushed through covers for one. 

A fuller ball, outside off. Lewis walks across and looks to play but misses. 

OUT! CAUGHT! The bowling change works out for the visitors. It is another time that Lewis has got a score, but has not been able to stay out there for longer and guide his team home. Around off, fuller, Lewis slams this one towards long off, but does not get the distance needed. Aiden Markram takes a good catch in the deep. 94 needed in 63 balls. 

Outside off, pushed through covers for one. The skipper is underway! 

A slower length ball around off, pushed to covers. 

A single to end the 10th over, a wicket and three of this over! Around off, chipped towards deep mid-wicket for one. 92 needed in 60 balls. 

Outside off, fuller, guided to short third man for one. 

WIDE. Bowls a wayward full ball, outside off, left alone. Wided. 

A touch fuller, around off, this is jammed out, past the keeper, to third man, for one. 

Around middle, dropped to the leg side for one. 

Pushed through covers for a single. 

Outside off, Shimron looks to cut this one away but gets an underedge back to the keeper. 

Around off and middle, SH looks to work this to the leg side but the ball takes the inside edge, hits the pad and goes to the off side for one. 

OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! Chris Gayle walks and the Universe Boss is sent packing. Tabraiz Shamsi continues his top form here. He picks up his first of the game. Around off, tossed up, the ball spins away as Gayle looks to slog it away to the leg side but the ball takes the outside edge and goes into the keeper's mitts. 104 more needed in 77 balls. 

Flatter outside off, punched through point for one. 

Fifty for Lewis! His 8th T20I half-century for Evin! He knows that the job is still remaining and he will look to continue. Shortish and around off, worked through point for one. 

Flatter and outside off, spinning away, SH looks to slash but misses. 

That's a beauty! Bounce and turn. Around off, flatter, around off, turns away sharply as Shimron Hetmyer gets squared up, trying to block. 

Around off, jabbed to the off side for one. A wicket and just 3 off the over! 

On leg, shortish, pulled to deep mid-wicket for one. 

SIX! Lewis continues his attacking mode. Loopy, around off, Evin Lewis gets underneath the ball and smokes this one all the way over deep mid-wicket. 

Shortish and fired on the pads again, nudged to the leg side. 

This is worked through mid-wicket for a single. 

SIX! The Universe Boss is unleashed here. This is tossed up too, around off, Gayle slog sweeps this one all the way over deep mid-wicket. 

On the pads, helped through square leg for one. 15 off the over! 

Shortish and around off, punched to the cover fielder now. 

In the air, but in the gap! Lucky for Gayle. Around off, floated, Gayle chips this one in between the mid off and extra cover fielder, gets a single. 

A full toss on leg, this is swept away to the square leg fielder. 

FOUR! Finds the gap this time. Short and wide outside off, spanked through covers for a boundary. 

Too full and outside off, worked to the cover region. 

Outside off, this is cut away to the point fielder. West Indies are at 50/1 at the end of the Powerplay! 

Back of a length ball, on off, Lewis pulls it to mid-wicket for nothing.

Easy couple for Lewis as he flicks it through mid-wicket.

WIDE! Serves a full length ball, outside off, Lewis leaves it. Wide called.

SIX! HUGE! Lewis gets a huge cheer from the crowd. A length ball, on off, this was well within his hitting arc. Lewis stays back and lifts it over the long on fence for a biggie.

A nice comeback by Lungi Ngidi. Fires in a yorker, on the money. Lewis digs it out in time.

FOUR! Lewis replies with a boundary this time. A full toss, around off, Lewis lifts it over the cover region for a boundary.

Full and on off, Lewis works it to mid off. 13 runs off the over. 124 needed in 90 balls. 

Serves a full toss on off, Lewis drives it towards cover, where the fielder make a sharp stop. The umpire signals a no ball because of overstepping. Free hit to follow.

FOUR! Takes advantage of the Free Hit and Evin frees his arms as well, A length ball, on off, Lewis waits and late cuts it through the point region for a boundary.

On off, kept out solidly by Lewis.

 Aiden Markram, you beauty! What an effort in the deep, he does it for the second time in this game. A full length ball, outside off, Lewis slashes it through covers. Markram covers a lot of ground to his right and he makes a one handed diving effort to pull the ball out in time. Two taken.

This time it is the skipper Bavuma who makes an excellent one handed stop. A length ball, on off, Lewis flicks it to the right of mid on, where Bavuma dives to his right to make the stop.

Length ball, on off, Lewis gets an inside edge as the ball goes pst the stumps.

On off, guided to third man for a single.

 OUT! LBW! The review does not save Simmons here. Loopy ball, on leg, Simmons looks to go big but misses completely. The ball goes onto hit him on the back leg. Linde makes a loud appeal for LBW. The umpire raises his finger in no time. Lendl Simmons thinks it could be going down leg and takes the review. The Ultra Edge shows no bat is involved. The Ball Tracker shows three reds and Simmons has to walk back to the shed. George Linde draws the first blood in his first delivery. Impressive.

Floated ball, on the pads, Gayle tucks it to the leg side for a single.

On middle, Lewis nudges it to mid-wicket and rotates the strike.

Full and on off, Gayle drives it to mid off for a single.

Flatter on off, Lewis hold back and pulls it hard to square leg for a single.

Full and on middle, Gayle paddles it to short fine leg. A wicket and just four runs off the over.

What an athletic effort to save the boundary. A full length ball, on the pads, Simmons flicks it to the right of short fine leg. The fielder dives to his right in an attempt to catch it but it was too difficult to get a hold of it, but he does well to stop it. 

Full, on leg, Simmons flicks it again, this time to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! A full length ball, on off, Lewis drives it through the point region for a boundary.

A bit of a confusion in the middle, but in the end the batters were safe. On off, Lewis works it to mid off, as he ventures out looking for a run. No response from the other end as he takes off, and then he turns back and goes back to his crease. 

FOUR! What a shot. A length ball, outside off, Lewis cuts it through the point region for a boundary.

On off, kept out.

Gets off the mark straightaway! Loopy ball, on off, Simmons works it to square leg via the inner half for a single.

Tossed up, outside off, Lewis stays back and punches it through the cover region. It beats the diving fielder. Markram gives it a chase and successfully cuts it off in time. Two taken.

SIX! Lewis does what he does well. Full and on off, Lewis stands tall and powers it over the long on fence for a maximum.

On off, Lewis flicks it to mid-wicket for a single.

On middle, nudged to mid-wicket.

Loopy ball, on off, Simmons works to long on for another single. 11 off the over.