West Indies coach John Dyson ... I am not Merlin the Magician. - AP

DURBAN, South Africa (CMC):

Reduced yet again to playing for pride at the end of a tour, the West Indies are contemplating a bit of experimentation in the fourth one-day international against South Africa today. (7:30 a.m. Jamaican time).

Playing for the last time in an international match on his home ground, this day/night fixture is almost completely overshadowed by Shaun Pollock's farewell to his loyal home fans at Kingsmead, especially as the series is already settled in the hosts' favour following comfortable victories in the first three matches.

Need to focus

On the eve of the fixture, almost all of the 21,000 tickets had been sold for the game, while another capacity crowd is expected for the definitive final international match of the all-rounder's outstanding career when the West Indies close out another disappointing campaign on Sunday in Johannesburg.

In the midst of all the nostalgia and celebration, the tourists have to focus on their own priorities, which involves being as competitive as possible and showing that they have benefited from the 10-week swing through southern Africa as they head home and prepare to take on Sri Lanka and then Australia in the Caribbean.

"Each player has to come away from this series and analyse what he needs to do to improve and get to the standard we'd like to be at," said head coach John Dyson following the team's final practice session in blistering sunshine on Thursday morning.

While stand-in captain Dwayne Bravo remains troubled by a side strain and is, therefore, unlikely to bowl, Shivnarine Chanderpaul returns to the line-up after missing last Sunday's seven-wicket loss in Port Elizabeth with a bruised knee.

Shuffling of the pack

Impressed with Patrick Browne's effort on debut in that third ODI, where he scored 35 playing as a number three specialist batsman, Dyson hinted at the Barbadian retaining his place in the final XI, but with the additional responsibility of wicketkeeper.

It was not clear whether the intention is to give first-choice gloveman Denesh Ramdin, who has kept wicket in every match of the tour so far beginning in Zimbabwe, a complete break or let him play as a specialist batsman at the top of the order partnering Sewnarine Chattergoon in place of Brenton Parchment.

Ramdin opened with Daren Ganga in the second innings of the second Test in Cape Town, when the appointed captain, Chris Gayle, was still receiving treatment for his

TEAMS

SOUTH AFRICA (from): Graeme Smith (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Albie Morkel, Johan Botha, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Andre Nel, Charl Langeveldt, Makhaya N'tini.

WEST INDIES (from) - Dwayne Bravo (captain), Brenton Parchment, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Devon Smith, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Runako Morton, Darren Sammy, Denesh Ramdin, Patrick Browne, Rawl Lewis, Jerome Taylor, Ravi Rampaul, Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards.