BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CANA:
THE West Indies will make every attempt to defeat South Africa in the fifth Cable and Wireless one-day international at Kensington Oval today to stay in the race for series honours.
With South Africa holding a 3-1 lead in the seven-match series, West Indies' captain Carl Hooper said his side just couldn't afford to lose again.
"Simply, if we don't win this game, we've lost the one-day series and that will be disappointing," Hooper said after his team's final practice session at the Spartan Club ground yesterday.
"Certainly, we're going all out to win tomorrow to try to keep the competition alive and give us a chance of putting pressure on them down in Trinidad (Saturday) and St Vincent (May 16)," declared Hooper.
"I don't think it should have come to this stage. We should have been desperate a long time to pull even with these guys," added Hooper.
The West Indies have bolstered their bowling attack by adding leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine and seam bowler Corey Collymore to their squad, while getting the rid of the expensive Nixon McLean.
"Certainly, I think Ramnarine has got a part to play. We've been struggling to take wickets in the middle overs and he's been brought into the squad so he can play that role with a bit of variation and add more punch to the bowling attack," Hooper remarked.
Hooper said Collymore, the lone Barbadian to be selected for either the preceding Test or one-day series, has been finally rewarded after bowling well in the 2001 Busta Cup when he captured 26 wickets.
"He certainly bowled well against Guyana. I don't know about the other teams but I think the selectors saw it fit to give him a try. We've exhausted efforts with (Nixon) McLean," said Hooper.
Hooper said the selection of Collymore and 21-year-old opening batsman Daren Ganga, who has a mere 47 runs at an average of 6.71 in seven previous one-day matches, is in keeping with the policy of looking towards the future.
Teams: West Indies (from) - Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Ricardo Powell, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Brian Lara, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Neil McGarrell, Mervyn Dillon, Kerry Jeremy, Corey Collymore, Cameron Cuffy, Dinanath Ramnarine.
South Africa (from) - Shaun Pollock (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Gary Kirsten, Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Jonty Rhodes, Mark Boucher, Lance Klusener, Justin Kemp, Justin Ontong, Allan Donald, Makhaya Ntini, Paul Adams, Andre Nel, Neil McKenzie, Roger Telemachus.
