West Indies will be under extreme pressure to avoid a 5-0 whitewash when the final Test against South Africa starts at Centurion Park today. Having lost the first four Tests on this inaugural tour of the Republic, Brian Lara's men are feeling the heat from their supporters and from a South African team bent on ending the series in style with a fifth victory.

No South African team has won a series 5-0, the closest being the 4-0 triumph by Ali Bacher's side over Bill Lawry's Australians in 1969-70. Captain Hansie Cronje has said he wants to achieve that target in this series.

"Our most important preparation is mental," Lara said. "It's very, very tough to be 4-0 down in a series, especially when it's the first time it has happened to any of the players. We know we still have to try and be positive, but I won't pretend that's easy."

Wretched batting by the top six and assorted injuries among the fast bowlers are the main reasons for their lack of success.

But off the field the pre-tour dispute involving the West Indies Cricket Board still lingers, with reports filtering through of rifts within the touring party.

The upshot has been West Indies winning only two of the 13 matches they have played so far, and matters could easily worsen with seven one-day internationals scheduled to follow the Test series.

The ruthlessly efficient South Africans have rarely been challenged in cruising to four emphatic victories. Lara, however, has not lost heart completely. "If we are better prepared upstairs then I've got to believe we do have a chance of regaining some pride," he said.

The visitors' morale suffered a further blow when the squad for the one-day series was announced at the weekend and it was learned five members of the squad would be returning home after the fifth Test, to be replaced by four newcomers.

"It's the first time the West Indies have selected a one-day team during a Test series and several of the players have experienced a negative reaction because they know they are going home," Lara admitted.

South Africa: Kallis, D Cullinan, H Cronje (capt), J Rhodes, S Pollock, M Boucher, A Donald (or L Klusener), D Terbrugge, P Adams. 12th man: A Prince.

West Indies (from): D Ganga, P Wallace, B Lara (capt), S Chanderpaul, C Hooper, S Williams, F Reifer, R Jacobs, N McLean, R Lewis, C Ambrose, M Dillon, F Rose, J Murray, C Lambert, K Arthurton, K Semple, R King, N McGarrell.