AB leads South Africa to massive win over Windies
INSPIRED by another breathtaking innings from their record-breaking captain AB de Villers, South Africa got its cricket World Cup campaign back on track with a crushing 257-run win over West Indies at the SCG last night.
De Villiers blasted an unbeaten 162 off 66 balls to help his side to 5-408, the second highest innings total at a World Cup behind India’s 5-413 against Bermuda in Portof-Spain in 2007.
West Indies never threatened to get close, losing Chris Gayle for three in the second over and crashing to 7-63 in the 18th over. They were dismissed for 151 off just 33.1 overs.
West Indian captain Jason Holder top scored with a de- fiant 56 off 48 balls, having earlier borne the brunt of de Villiers’ savage late-overs assault, during which the Proteas blasted 80 off the last 3.2 overs.
Paceman Holder conceded only nine runs from his first five overs, but went for 64 off his last two, to finish with 1-104.
After a couple of early wickets for recalled paceman Kyle Abbott, South African wrist spinner Imran Tahir (5-45) smashed through the rest of the order, claiming his first ODI five-wicket haul.
Just over a month ago de Villiers scored both the fastest one-day 50 and 100 in history against the West Indies in Johannesburg.
Last night he added the quickest 150 to his burgeoning list of achievements.
He struck 17 fours and eight sixes and thrilled the crowd of 23,612 with his audacious improvisation and ability to go either through or over the field.
The result improved South Africa’s record at the tournament to 2-1 and dropped the West Indies to 2-2.
It was an emphatic response from the Proteas following their last-start 130-run mauling by defending champions India.