Holders West Indies rode on the sheer brilliance of centurion Chris Gayle topull off an upset six-wicket win over South Africa and stride into the final ofthe Champions Trophy in Jaipur today.
West Indies, who registered their third semi-final victory over the SouthAfricans after wins in the 1998 and 2004 editions, will now meet world championsAustralia in the title clash in Mumbai on November 5.
The Caribbeans owed their victory to Gayle who made a mockery of theseemingly competitive target with his breathtaking display of aggressive battingduring his unbeaten knock of 133 that came off just 135 balls and contained 17fours and three sixes.
It was only apt that Gayle hit the winning runs, a powerful four off RobinPeterson, to bring cheers in the West Indian dressing room.
The 27-year-old opener in fact thrashed the daylight out of all the otherSouth African bowlers as the West Indies overhauled the South African total of258 for 8 with as many as six overs to spare in a completely one-sided contestat the Sawai Man Singh Stadium.
Gayle, playing his 150th ODI, also stitched the highest partnernship of thetournament so far with Shivnarine Chanderpaul of 154 runs before the latterretired hurt with leg cramps on 57.
Also, making merry on the sporting, easy-paced track were Ramnaresh Sarwanwho chipped in with a run a ball 27, rendering the South African attackstingless.
The pyrotechnics of the cavalier West Indies' batsmen put to shade the effortof Herschelle Gibbs (77) who shrugged off a form slump and controversy over hisfirst appearance in India in six years owing to match-fixing related allegationsand put on 92 runs for the fourth wicket with AB de Villiers (46), the onlyother notable contributor to the total.
West Indies were off to a flier with the in-form Gayle and Chanderpaulunleashing a flurry of boundaries to dent the confidence of the South Africannew-ball bowlers who had enjoyed early success in the previous two matches.
In fact, Makhaya Ntini had to be forced off the attack after just three overswhich cost a whopping 23 runs and the usually accurate Shaun Pollock also endedup conceding 34 runs in his first spell of five overs.
Gayle, who completed 1000 runs in 2006 when he reached 10, hoisted Pollockover long off for a huge six as West Indies raced to 76 runs in 10 overs.
Chanderpaul on the other end was no less aggressive, his improvised six offAndre Nel to the fine leg boundary underlining their dominance.
Frustrated by the failure of his fast bowlers to effect a breakthrough,skipper Graeme Smith introduced himself into the attack but only to be smashedfor two fours on the trot by Gayle who raced to his 29th ODI 50 off just 48balls with help of seven fours and a six.
Jacques Kallis was also meted out similar treatment as he was smashed overthe mid-wicket fence and then hit by a four by Gayle off the first and secondballs of the 18th over, the scoreboard reading 116 for no loss.
Chanderpaul also duly completed his 50, the 42nd of his career, with the helpof four fours and a six and off 57 balls before retiring hurt on 57.
Sarwan wasted no time in taking the baton from Chanderpaul and struck sixfours before being trapped leg before by Ntini, the first success for thehapless South African bowlers.
Gayle continued to bat with flourish and ensured he hit the winning runs.
Earlier, the 32-year-old Gibbs stitched a crucial partnership off 108 ballswith de Villiers to put the innings back on track after they had lost theirfirst three wickets with 96 runs on the board.
With rest of the South African batsmen failing to make much of a mark despitethe largely lacklustre West Indies attack, credit should go to Gibbs and deVilliers for ensuring a fighting total was put on the board.
Gibbs, touring India for the first time after his name figured in thematch-fixing scandal of 2000, anchored the innings for most part before beingdismissed in the last over by Dwayne Bravo (2-41). His 90-ball knock containedfour fours and a six.
Watching Gibbs return to form from the VIP stands was former Indian skipperMohammad Azharuddin, himself serving a life ban from the game for allegedmatch-fixing.
The South Africans were off to a tentative start after electing to bat butmade up with some quick scoring in the last 10 overs which fetched them 76 runs.
Openers Smith and Loots Bosman, brought in for Boeta Dippennar and playinghis first match of the tournament, appeared to negotiate the new ball wellbefore the South African skipper was sent back by an stinging Jerome Taylorin-swinger.
Smith, who hit three boundaries in his 19-run knock, could not do much as theball clipped his pads before sharply swinging in to hit the stumps.
The West Indies got another big wicket when Kallis, promoted up the orderahead of Gibbs, lost his composure in the face of some disciplined bowling afterscoring 16 off 38 balls with three fours.
Bravo, replacing a rather ineffective Ian Bradshaw (1-58) , teased Kallisinto playing a good length ball that got the edge which was caught by an alertSarwan at third man.
Reduced to a shaky 65 for 2 in the 17th over, Bosman and Gibbs tried tostitch together a substantial partnership before the rookie opener was dismissedfor a 58-ball 39 (6x4) by Marlon Samuels who struck off the third ball of hisfirst over.
The bowling change worked perfectly once again for the West Indies as Bosman,who was beginning to cut loose after the initial tentativeness, tried to flickthe ball to the leg side but got a leading edge instead, Gayle picking the catchat extra cover.
PTI
