The final game in the West Indies versus South Africa fourth test was as it was supposed to be: good, sometimes even great bowling from the home team; poor bowling from the visitors; good, sometimes magnificent batting from both teams. The result, though, was beyond contention once South Africa made 604 for six.

Graeme Smith, the South African captain suggested after the first day's play: "This pitch was a good one for bowling and a team should make no more than perhaps 250-300, batting first, if the opposition's bowlers operated well." At the close of day one South Africa were 302 for one.

South Africa's bowlers showed the West Indians how to bowl properly on such a pitch, while the West Indies withered badly under severe external stimuli, managing only 301 and following-on. The eventual 'Man of the Series', Makhaya Ntini, who finished the series with 29 wickets, averaging about 45 overs a Test, in a series in which 20 centuries were scored, and Andre Nel, with 21 deserve special mention here.

The late selection of Merv Dillon, for what should be his last career Test, did not help in any way. And it is now time to dispense with the services of another bowler, Vasbert Drakes. No longer can the West Indies cricket team be allowed to field players who contribute very little and do not seem to improve. Darren Ganga, who has barely contributed, since making two centuries against Australia last year, should also be disposed of. He actually looks shell-shocked, lost even. Anyone else could do just as badly as these two.

From a West Indian perspective, let us hope for a few more Dwayne Smiths please.

Nel and Ntini used day three to emphasize their captain's earlier suggestion and to severely torment the West Indies. The 'Two N's' extracted bounce, pace and lateral movement from the pitch.

The pitch was supposed to have become better for batting as the game progressed, as suggested by the curator, Hilbert Smith. It certainly did on days three and four, with the consistent bounce appreciated by most batsmen, allowing even West Indies captain Brian Lara to be optimistic on the third day: "We need at least three separate centuries from our batsmen during this game." He got two.

The West Indies bowled poorly on day one and batted poorly on day three, with Nel dismissing Lara, Ridley Jacobs and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, all left-handers, with identical deliveries. Ntini did similarly with the right-handers, his aggression, phenomenal fitness and know-how allowing him to hit the stumps, and the batsmen too, with alarming regularity and consistency.

Day four, with the West Indies following-on, saw a resilience that is more in keeping with Test cricket. Ramnaresh Sarwan batted courageously and found a tremendous ally in the hard-hitting Chris Gayle, the latter returning after being felled on day three. They both completed their fourth Test centuries and the second of the fourth game.

The temporary comeback was wonderful to see, but it was not enough, despite Sarwan's and Gayle's centuries, which brought centuries by the West Indian batsmen to eight.