de Villiers, Tahir script convincing win over West Indies by CricketArchive staff reporter

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Ground:	Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
Scorecard:	South Africa v West Indies
Player:	DM Bravo, DJ Bravo, DS Smith, KB Kala, DW Steyn, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy

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DateLine: 27th February 2011

 

It was a day of complete domination by the South Africa as they got their World Cup campaign off to a flier. First the bowlers vindicated skipper Smith's decision to bowl first on a track that was untested before de Villiers showed us why he is ranked at the top of the ODI batsmen list nowadays.

 

The Windies on the other hand will have to reassess their options and strategy before their next match.

 

South Africa for the first time after their readmission, changed their bowling plan as they stacked their side with three spinners and two pacemen. Botha was given the duty of opening the bowling and his target was to keep the explosive Gayle quiet. He did more than that as he removed Gayle in the third ball of the match. Darren Bravo came in next and the tall southpaw began slowly before opening up with an array of stunning shots. He single-handedly wrested control of the game from the South Africans and while he was there in the middle a huge total was on the cards.

 

But Botha played spoilsport as he removed Bravo via a leg before decision before Tahir got into the act. The leg-spinner had been taken to the cleaners by Bravo in his first spell but with a more tentative batsmen at the crease Tahir attacked relentlessly. Dwayne Bravo and Chanderpaul repaired the innings with the former even launching some mighty hits into the crowd. But once Dwayne Bravo was run-out due to some poor calling the lower order packed-up in a hurry with the normally dangerous Pollard, falling first ball.

 

West Indies, in 47.3 overs could only manage 222 and that was not going to be enough to test the South Africans.

 

The South Africans in reply lost two quick wickets as Amla and Kallis fell to a combination of good bowling and brilliant catching. But unlike the Windies when a couple of quick wickets induced panic in the dressing room, Smith and de Villiers batted brilliantly with the latter finding the boundary ropes at will.

 

At no stage of the partnership did the Windies bowlers look like dislodging the pair from the middle as South Africa cruised to a comfortable win.