BOETA DIPPENAAR played another match-winning innings to guide South Africa to a seven-wicket victory over the West Indies with five balls to spare in the rain-affected Fifth Digicel One-Day International yesterday. In a match reduced to the minimum of 20 overs-per-side because of persistent overnight and morning rain, Dippenaar's unbeaten 61 saw the visitors past the home team's total of 138 for seven to complete an historic 5-0 series sweep of their opponents. It was the first time that the Caribbean side had been whitewashed in any series ­ Test or One-Day ­ at home and prolonged Shivnarine Chanderpaul's baptism of fire as West Indies captain as his team had already surrendered the four-match Test series 2-0. The hosts, who have won just one of 11 one-dayers since their memorable ICC Champions' Trophy triumph last September, have precious little time to lick their wounds as they now go into a three-match ODI series against Pakistan, starting on Wednesday in St. Vincent, before facing the same opponents in a two-Test series. FOUR-MONTH BREAK In contrast, the South Africans return home to enjoy a four-month break on the strength of the successful defence of the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy and extending their run in the shorter version of the game to 12 wins in the last 14 matches. Dippenaar, who has struggled to establish a regular place in the South African team in both versions of the game, staked a solid claim for long-term consideration, his composed innings in a frenetic match lifting the classy right-hander's series tally to 317 runs at an impressive average of 105.66. In reaching the half-century mark by smashing Dwayne Bravo for six over long-off, Dippenaar also pulled South Africa clear in a potentially tight finish under leaden skies. It was left to Mark Boucher to pull the first delivery of the final over from Fidel Edwards to the midwicket boundary to seal victory, sparking celebrations among his teammates and leaving the die-hard fans who braved the elements at the Queen's Park Oval to rue another effort by the West Indies team that fell just short. CRITICAL TOSS Shaun Pollock, again leading his country in the absence of the suspended Graeme Smith, won a critical toss when play eventually got under way in mid-afternoon. Given the South Africans' greater experience in 20 overs-per-side cricket at domestic level, it proved much easier for them to chase a target set by the West Indies which was probably 20 runs short over being really competitive. Chris Gayle ignited the fans and the home side's innings in crashing 14 runs off three deliveries off Andre Nel in the fifth over, but the big pacer had the last laugh when the Jamaican left-hander went for one blow too many, slicing a catch to Charl Langeveldt on the third-man boundary to give South Africa the breakthrough at 39 for one in the fifth over. Gayle's dismissal for 28, which included five fours and one six, typified the West Indies' lack of experience as more measured progress could have seen them reach a more impressive total. Ramnaresh Sarwan and Brian Lara perished going for big hits while Chanderpaul was run out for just one by a direct hit from Pollock at mid-off to the non-striker's end. The experienced all-rounder returned figures of one for 20 off his four-over spell and although Andre Nel and Andrew Hall picked up two wickets, his miserly discipline at the start of the innings proved crucial. Bravo's unbeaten 41, the topscore of the innings, gave the West Indies late momentum along with a couple bold strokes by wicketkeeper Courtney Browne, which included a six over midwicket. WEST INDIES innings: C. Gayle c Langeveldt b Nel 28 R. Sarwan c Ontong b Hall 15 B. Lara c Dippenaar b Ontong 12 S. Chanderpaul run out 1 D. Bravo not out 41 D. Smith lbw Pollock 5 +C. Browne b Hall 16 X. Marshall b Nel 6 I. Bradshaw not out 6 Extras (lb6, nb1, w1) 8 TOTAL (for 7 wickets - 20 overs) 138 Fall of wickets: 1-39 2-44 3-48 4-65 5-76 6-103 7-117 Did not bat: F. Edwards, C. Collymore Bowling: Pollock 4-1-20-1; Langeveldt 3-0-28-0 (1w); Nel 4-0-32-2; Hall 4-0-21-2 (1nb); Kallis 2-0-8-0; Ontong 3-0-23-1. SOUTH AFRICA innings: AB de Villiers c Lara b Bradshaw 30 B. Dippenaar not out 61 J. Kallis c Chanderpaul b Bravo 18 J. Kemp b Collymore 8 M. Boucher not out 16 Extras (lb3, nb1, w4) 8 TOTAL (for 3 wickets, 19.1 overs) 141 Fall of wickets: 1-46 2-81 3-108 Did not bat: A. Prince, S. Pollock, A. Hall, C. Langeveldt, A. Nel, J. Ontong Bowling: Edwards 2.1-0-19-0; Bradshaw 4-0-21-1 (1w); Collymore 4-0-34-1; Smith 2-0-13-0 (1nb); Gayle 3-0-24-0 (2w); Bravo 4-0-27-1 (1w). Result: South Africa won by 7 wickets Series: South Africa win 5-0 Man of the Match: Boeta Dippenaar (South Africa) Man of the Series: Boeta Dippenaar (South Africa) Toss: South Africa Umpires: Darrel Hair, Eddie Nicholls Reprinted from jamaica-gleaner.com