South Africa played a game of precision and perfection as they handed West Indies their second successive defeat in as many days to take a two-nil lead in the five match one day series. While Shivnarine Chanderpaul chose to bat first in the first game, it was Graeme Smith who inserted the hosts the second time round, but the result and its margin were identical.

Chris Gayle started in flamboyant fashion, thrashing Shaun Pollock to the cover boundary, but a devastating inswinging yorker from Makhaya Ntini that triggered a collapse. Pollock, rusty from the lack of match practice until the last Test, got his first wicket of the match when Graeme Smith took an outstanding catch low to his right to send Wavell Hinds back to the pavilion. Lara could do no better and with Sarwan departing as well, West Indies were stuck in a deep mire at forty for four well within the fifteen over mark.

Set 153 to win, South Africa were struck by a man named Ian Bradshaw who sent back Smith and Kallis, albeit with the help of some sharp fielding. South Africa may have appeared a touch gloomy at eighteen for the loss of three wickets as early as the sixth over, but gloomier conditions prevailed as rains reduced the game to thirty-three overs and a revised total of 127, courtesy Messrs Duckworth and Lewis. But an unbeaten century stand between Boeta Dippenaar and Herschelle Gibbs ensured that South Africa coasted to victory with eight wickets in hand. The duo mixed judicious batting with striking blows to allow West Indies no further reason for celebrations, and completed the task in less than twenty-seven overs. While Dippenaar notched a fine and invaluable innings of sixty, Gibbs was not far behind with a splendid forty-four as South Africa made the game at Barbados an imperative win for West Indies to stay alive in the series.