WI crush Proteas to reach final

Darren Bravo's third hundred and impressive fast bowling from Shannon Gabriel propelled the West Indies to a 100-run win over South Africa in the ninth and final preliminary match of the Tri-Nation One-Day International Series.

Bravo's stroke-filled 102, which earned him the man of the match award, anchored an impressive recovery from 21 for four to lift the West Indies to 285 all out off 49.5 overs batting first at Kensington Oval on Friday.

With the win, the hosts advance to face World Cup-holders Australia in the final on Sunday at the same venue. It is also the first time in ten years that South Africa have failed to reach the final of a tri-nation ODI series.

Gabriel, in just his second ODI, then tore through the Proteas' top-order, taking the wickets of Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and captain A.B. de Villiers in the space of four overs.

West Indies were themselves rocked back at 21 for four when pacer Kagiso Rabada led the assault after de Villiers chose to field. However Bravo's third one-day century, embellished with 12 fours and four sixes off 103 deliveries, proved invaluable. He found an able partner in Kieron Pollard, who curbed his usual all-out aggression in compiling 62 off 71 balls.

Their fifth-wicket stand of 156 was a new West Indian record for the wicket against South Africa and wrested the initiative from the visitors.

Bravo later revealed a night spent watching highlights of Brian Lara, the former Windies skipper and his first cousin, was the secret to his brilliant knock.

"I haven't spoken to him [Lara] for some time now, but last night before I went to bed I looked at some of his clips on YouTube," said Bravo, whose languid and flamboyant style of batting has often been compared to that the great Trinidadian.

"That's my boy, that's my role model, so when I'm struggling I always go back to him. If I'm not speaking to him, I'll always go back and look at him on YouTube and get that sort of inspiration to keep believing in myself. "Today was a very good day for me and hopefully I can continue on Sunday."

SCORES IN BRIEF

WEST INDIES: 285 all out in 49.5 overs (Bravo 102, Pollard 62, Holder 40; Rabada 3-31, Morris 3-63)

SOUTH AFRICA: 185 all out in 46 overs (Behardien 35, Morkel 32 not out; Gabriel 3-17, Narine 3-28)

Result: West Indies won by 100 runs.

Player-of-the-match: D Bravo (WI).