Morkel leads SA past WI by 86 runs

Cape Town: Morne Morkel returned from injury on Friday and took a career-best four wickets for 36 to help South Africa defeat West Indies by 86 runs in the second of five one-day internationals.

After South Africa reached 255 for nine, Shaun Pollock blunted the West Indies response at the start. Playing his last international match at Newlands Stadium, Pollock took early wicket of opener Brenton Parchment, caught in the gully off a lifting delivery for eight, and the West Indies struggled to 169 all out.

"I knew if we could get one or two wickets up front, we could squeeze the run rate and force the win," South African captain Graeme Smith said.

With a four-pronged pace attack, South Africa's bowlers kept the West Indies batsmen in check while Sewnarine Chattergoon and Runako Morton tried to lay a foundation for the chase.

Charl Langeveldt had Chattergoon caught behind for 34 to leave the Caribbean islanders at 59 for two, and then Morkel came into the attack.

He immediately took the wickets of Marlon Samuels - caught behind for 2 - and Morton, caught at mid-off off a mistimed pull for 19.

At 69 for four in the 23rd over, the chase fizzled out despite Shivnarine Chanderpaul's defiant 54 off 83 balls.

"I thought the total was gettable," West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo said. "I would back our batters for that every day, but losing wickets at regular intervals didn't help us."

Morkel came back to remove the only other apparent threat, Darren Sammy, who edged a lifter to Mark Boucher to be dismissed for 21 off 23 deliveries. Morkel also finished off the match when he had Jerome Taylor caught for one.

Pollock finished his international career at Newlands in his 300th one-day international with two for 13 off 10 overs. He started his one-day international career at the same ground with a man-of-the match performance against England in a six-run win, and he was named man-of-the-match for his Friday's performance.

Charl Langeveldt took two for 28, and Dale Steyn had one for 35.

Smith led South Africa's innings with 86 that included 11 boundaries on a pitch he characterized as "pretty dry".

Smith shared a 91-run third wicket partnership with A.B. De Villiers (45), and 72 for the fourth wicket with J.P. Duminy (68).

South Africa won the toss and elected to bat. Smith lost his opening partner early when Herschelle Gibbs was caught behind off the bowling of Taylor for five runs.

Jacques Kallis went soon after, well caught at mid-off by Chanderpaul for 7 off Taylor.

Smith and De Villiers took South Africa from 18 for two to 109 for three, when De Villiers was trapped leg before wicket by Sammy.

De Villiers hit seven boundaries and one six in his 59-ball innings.

Taylor was the best West Indies bowler with four for 34 off his 10 overs.

South Africa won the first match by six wickets on Jan 20. The next match will be played in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.