West Indies v Free State match report

Lambert shines for West Indies

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa, Nov 20 (AFP) - West Indies opening batsman Clayton Lambert played himself into form on a rain-shortened first day of the four-day match against South African provincial champions Free State at Springbok Park on Friday. The left-handed Lambert scored 67 as the West Indies reached 193 for four before rain washed out play shortly before the scheduled tea break.

The tourists were in early trouble after winning the toss and batting on a pitch which had some life following rain on the two previous days, losing Philo Wallace and Brian Lara for 45 runs in the first 11 overs. Wallace, yet to make a substantial score on the tour, drove a delivery from opening bowler Victor Mpitsang to mid-on when he had made 11, while skipper Lara made only 10 before edging a ball from Herman Bakkes to wicketkeeper Morne van Wyk.

Lambert and fellow left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul put on 91 for the third wicket before both were out in quick succession. Lambert walked across his stumps in trying to work off-spinner Kosie Venter to the on-side and was trapped lbw after scoring 67 off 128 balls with seven fours.

Chanderpaul looked set for a long innings before he pushed at a ball from Johan van der Wath and was caught behind for 48, made off 98 deliveries with seven fours. When rain intervened, Carl Hooper and Stuart Williams had put on an unbeaten 51 for the fifth wicket. The West Indians picked their likely Test team with the exception of fast bowler Courtney Walsh, who is battling to overcome a knee injury in addition to suffering a sprained ankle during the opening first-class match against Griqualand West last weekend.

The first of five Test matches starts at the Wanderers in Johannesburg next Thursday.

McLean wrecks Free State

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa, Nov 21 (AFP) - Fast bowler Nixon McLean destroyed Free State as the touring West Indians sent the South African provincial champions tumbling to 67 all out on the second day of their four-day match at Springbok Park on Saturday.

McLean, producing genuine pace and bounce, took a career-best seven for 28 on a good batting pitch. Earlier McLean had hit 46 in the West Indian first innings of 316.

West Indian captain Brian Lara decided not to enforce the follow-on to give his team batting practice ahead of the first Test against South Africa, starting in Johannesburg on Thursday. Lara was bowled first ball for nought but the West Indies reached 112 for two at close of play, a lead of 361.

South African Test captain Hansie Cronje was one of McLean's victims, caught at short leg for three off a ball which lifted sharply towards his ribs. McLean, 25, who played English county cricket for Hampshire this year, made virtually certain that he will play in the first Test and banished fears the tourists would have to rely on veteran fast bowlers Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose.

Ambrose on Saturday bowled with superb control, taking one for 12 in 10 overs and showing no signs of discomfort following the removal of an ingrown toenail last weekend. Morne van Wyk, 19, was the only Free State batsman to defy McLean, hitting an unbeaten 32. Earlier Victor Mpitsang, 18, a product of South Africa's township development programme, took two wickets in successive balls and finished with three for 68, while Johan van der Wath, 20, took three for 57.

Mpitsang ended a 66-run partnership between Carl Hooper and Stuart Williams when he had Williams caught at gully after 15 runs had been added to the overnight 193 for four. Wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs was caught behind for nought off the next ball. Van der Wath struck again in the second innings, trapping Wallace leg before and bowling Lara, who tried an extravagant shot first ball.

Cronje stars with 147 as West Indies face defeat

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa, Nov 22 (AFP) - South African Test captain Hansie Cronje made an unbeaten century as Free State moved to the brink of an extraordinary victory over the West Indies at Springbok Park here on Sunday. Set a massive 438 to win, Free State, who had been bowled out for 67 in their first innings, ended the third of four days on 412 for eight, just 26 runs from victory.

Cronje was on 147 not out, made off 141 balls. Sunday's play, extended for half-an-hour following rain on the first day, saw 487 runs scored and 16 wickets fall. Cronje, who scored 88 of his runs in boundaries - 13 fours and six sixes was superbly backed up by 20-year-old fast bowler Johan van der Wath.

Van der Wath, in his fourth first-class match, took five for 26 while Cronje claimed three for 23 as the tourists, with a 249-run lead on the first innings, tumbled to 188 all out in their second. West Indian captain Brian Lara had decided not to enforce the follow on because he wanted his batsmen to spend time at the crease before the first Test against South Africa starting in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Only Clayton Lambert (54) and Stuart Williams (52) played worthwhile innings, however. Van der Wath again supported Cronje with the bat, sharing in an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 109 in which Cronje contributed nine Free State's chase had got off to a good start with Kosie Venter and provincial captain Gerhardus Liebenberg putting on 51 for the first wicket.

Boeta Dippenaar made a superb 82 off 100 balls before being run out in a mix-up with Cronje. The West Indies will be able to call on the new ball when play resumes Monday.

Cronje completes Free State's remarkable win

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa, Nov 23 (AFP) - South African captain Hansie Cronje handed down a warning to the West Indies just three days ahead of the first Test here on Monday when he led his Free State provincial side to a remarkable two wicket win over the tourists.

Cronje, who was unbeaten on 158, and fast bowler Johan van der Wath shared a provincial record ninth wicket partnership of 135 as Free State reached a target of 438 in the final innings - an extraordinary turnaround after they were bowled out for 67 in the first innings.

With Free State needing 26 on the final day, the West Indies claimed the second new ball at the start of play but Cronje and Van der Wath scored the runs off 40 balls. With two runs needed, Cronje, who hit 92 of his 158 in boundaries off 165 balls, was dropped by Ambrose at deep fine leg off McLean - two balls later Van der Wath scored the winning single. The 20-year-old Van der Wath, who was playing in only his fourth first class match, had match figures of eight for 83 to make a strong claim for a permanent place in the Free State team.

He only got his chance to play against the West Indies because Test fast bowler Allan Donald was rested. West Indies captain Brian Lara expressed concern about his team's performance. ``We seem to be able to play well for two days but not keep it up,'' Lara said. Lara said he was less concerned about the result than his team's inability to maintain the standard that they showed when bowling out Free State for 67 in the first innings.

He revealed that legspinner Dinanath Ramnarine, the only specialist spin bowler in the squad, was suffering from a shoulder injury and was a doubtful starter for the first Test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. Ramnarine had been hammered by Cronje on Sunday evening when Lara was forced to use his spinners in poor light in an attempt to finish off what had seemed likely to be an easy win for the tourists.