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Untitled Document
 de Villiers puts West Indies out of reckoning in World Cup
11th Apr 2007 15:08 IST
Agencies
South Africa were back in contention for the top four slots of the World Cup as they handed out a 67-run defeat to the West Indies, caught up by hosts' jinx to be out of the reckoning, in a Super Eight encounter at St. Geroge’s in Grenada on Tuesday.
After AB de Villiers' maiden one-day hundred propelled South Africa to a massive 356/4, the West Indies buckled under the weight of the huge target and ended up with 289/9 at the National Stadium.
After playing five matches each, South Africa now have six points while West Indies have only two.
There was no hint of avalanche of runs after South Africa, fresh from the defeat to Bangladesh, had struggled to 21 from the first eight overs for the loss of captain Graeme Smith (7) after being asked to take first strike on an initially damp pitch.
Jacques Kallis (81) then brought about a complete turnaround by making some uncharacteristic bold strokes and with opener de Villiers (146), also finding his range, the hosts were soon put on the carpet.
The pair added 170 runs for the second wicket from as many balls and the picturesque ground was peppered with fours and sixes.
Kallis made his runs from 86 balls with six fours and a six while de Villiers' mighty knock took him 129 balls and was laced with 12 fours and five sixes.
Kallis departed in the 36th over after he was bowled by Chris Gayle and de Villiers in the 44th over at the total 261/3 but the carnage was unstoppable.
The rampaging South African batsmen forced home captain Brian Lara to delay taking the third powerplay till the end of 45th over with the scoreboard of 287/3.
The final five overs, understandably, then yielded 69 runs with Herschelle Gibbs (61 not out) and Mark Boucher, who scored World Cup's fastest half-century of 52 from 23 balls, running riot. Gibbs made his runs from 41 balls with four fours and three sixes while Boucher smacked two fours and five sixes in his knock.
In all, 14 sixes and 24 fours were hit during the South African innings.
The West Indies never looked like making a match of it from the moment they lost Shivnarine Chanderpaul for four in the third over.
Ramnaresh Sarwan, with 92 off 75 balls, waged a lone battle while Gayle (32), Devon Smith (33) and Lara (21) all failed to build on after settling down.
In fact, the only interest left in the game for the packed stands was the possible century from Sarwan, who hit 10 fours and a six. But it did not materialise, as the right-hander became the eighth batsman to get out in the 39th over at total 213 for 8.
Darren Powell saved the hosts the blushes as his defiant 48 from 36 balls considerably reduced the margin of loss.
South Africa's next game is at this very venue against New Zealand on April 14 while West Indies now play Bangladesh in Barbados on April 19. |
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