South Africa's Historic Domination Over West Indies
By the late 1990s, the West Indies cricket team had lost its legendary dominance from the 1970s and 1980s. Defeats against Australia and a 3-0 Test series loss in Pakistan dropped them to fourth place in the ICC Test rankings. Despite this decline, they remained a respected opponent. This made their first-ever tour to South Africa during the 1998-99 season particularly intriguing. On paper, the two teams appeared evenly matched, setting the stage for a competitive series.
A One-Sided Tour Unfolds
What followed shocked cricket fans worldwide. Under captain Hansie Cronje, South Africa completely dominated the West Indies throughout the tour. The Proteas won the seven-match ODI series 6-1. They then achieved something even more remarkable in the Test arena.
South Africa secured a clean sweep in the five-Test series, winning all five matches. The victory margins clearly showed the growing gap between the teams:
- First Test: South Africa won by four wickets
- Second Test: South Africa won by 178 runs
- Third Test: South Africa won by nine wickets
- Fourth Test: South Africa won by 149 runs
- Fifth Test: South Africa won by 351 runs
The final Test, played from January 15 to 18, 1999, produced a rare moment in cricket history. Match adjudicator Dennis Lindsay took the unusual step of naming the entire South African team as Player of the Match.
The Decisive Fifth Test
West Indies captain Brian Lara won the toss and chose to field first. His team had already lost the series, suffering defeats in all four previous Tests. The visitors started well on day one, reducing South Africa to 5-2 and then 123-6. However, a strong partnership between Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis turned the innings around.
Boucher scored a century while Kallis made 83 valuable runs. South Africa finished day one at 311-9, with Lance Klusener adding useful runs at the end. They were eventually bowled out for 313 early on day two.
West Indies' Brief Resistance and Collapse
When West Indies batted, they faced the formidable Allan Donald on a pitch offering good bounce. After another shaky start, they reached 102-2 thanks to a rapid counter-attack from Brian Lara. The captain reached fifty from just 38 balls, hitting 12 fours including six off Donald across two overs.
Lara's dismissal changed everything. Donald removed him with a short ball, triggering a dramatic collapse. The last eight West Indies wickets fell in just 17 overs. Donald finished with his 17th five-wicket haul in Test cricket, bowling out the visitors for 144 and giving South Africa a commanding 169-run lead.
South Africa Seals the Whitewash
Coming back from such a deficit proved impossible for West Indies. Their task became even harder when experienced fast bowler Courtney Walsh broke down early in South Africa's second innings. This left the visitors with a young and inexperienced pace attack, including debutant Reon King who was still battling jet lag.
None of the West Indian fast bowlers could apply consistent pressure. Only Carl Hooper managed to slow the scoring by bowling a defensive line into the rough. South African batsmen capitalized on the situation.
Gary Kirsten, coming off poor form, batted patiently to score a hard-earned century. Herschelle Gibbs registered his first fifty of the series. Captain Hansie Cronje batted with clear intent. However, Jonty Rhodes played the most aggressive innings, taking full advantage of the tiring attack to score a century in just 95 balls.
This was Rhodes' first Test century at home, and he celebrated it emphatically with six sixes, all struck off pull shots. Cronje declared South Africa's innings at 399-5 late on the third day, setting West Indies an impossible target of 569 runs to win.
The Final Collapse
The declaration paid off immediately when West Indies opener Wallace was caught down the leg side soon after, ending a difficult series for him. On the fourth morning, wickets continued to fall regularly.
Paul Adams took four wickets while Jacques Kallis claimed two. Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock, Allan Donald, and Daryll Cullinan each took one wicket. West Indies were bowled out for 217 in their second innings, giving South Africa a massive 351-run victory and completing the 5-0 series whitewash.
Match adjudicator Dennis Lindsay's decision to award Player of the Match to the entire South African team was unusual but perfectly fitting. Jacques Kallis, who finished the series with 485 runs, was the clear choice for Player of the Series.
This historic series marked a low point for West Indies cricket while establishing South Africa as a formidable force in Test cricket. The 5-0 whitewash remains one of the most one-sided Test series in cricket history.
