West Indies were again on the receiving end of AB de Villiers’ brilliant best as the sprightly batsman pummelled the fastest one-day international 150 in a crushing South Africa victory at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
De Villiers flayed 162 not out in just 66 balls in the Proteas’ astonishing 408 for five on a two-paced wicket, the highest ODI score in Australia and the second-best in a World Cup, reaching 150 in 64 deliveries, which was 19 less than the previous record held by Australia’s Shane Watson.
The Windies will be sick at the sight of de Villiers, who last month struck the quickest ODI fifty and hundred against them. Today’s ton was his third versus West Indies in World Cups, a record against a single opponent.
AB De Villiers and his #ProteaFire is of course the Player of the Match! The Best #TwitterMirror of #cwc15 so far? pic.twitter.com/UdruTih4jH
— ICC (@ICC) February 27, 2015
De Villiers arrived at the crease with his side 146 for three in the 30th over and proceeded to dominate a record addition of 262 runs in the last 20 overs with eight sixes and 17 fours. His 73 in the last five sets of six is the most by anyone.
The skipper said: "It was a very enjoyable knock today. The foundation from the boys at the start freed me up. I had a bit of luck here and there.
"I'm not a huge fan of setting targets but halfway through the innings we had plans in place of reaching 300."
Leg-spinner Imran Tahir followed up de Villiers’ heroics with his first five-for in a limited-overs international before victory came by 257 runs in the 34th over, the joint-largest win by runs in World Cup history.
South Africa’s success puts them on four points in Pool B alongside today’s opponents, who have played one more game, plus India and Ireland, who have played one less.
The Proteas, who won the toss, lost Quinton de Kock early on, caught at cover off captain Jason Holder, but the rest of their top four made increasingly quick sixties.
Float like a butterfly, sting like AB!
— Shaun Pollock (@7polly7) February 27, 2015
Considering what was to come, there were relatively few boundaries in the first 30 overs, Hashim Amla launching Darren Sammy for the sole six in that period.
Amla and Francois du Plessis shared 127 for the second wicket before both falling in the space of three Chris Gayle balls, the former lbw and the latter to an excellent catch behind.
That united de Villiers and Rilee Rossouw, who consolidated before each accelerating to a half-century in the batting powerplay, which yielded 72 runs – the most in this World Cup.
Andre Russell has Rossouw caught behind for 61 from 64 balls soon after and snared David Miller for a brisk 20 thanks to Jerome Taylor's sensational boundary catch, only for de Villiers to go berserk in the 48th over.
His first of two maximums along with four fours in an eight-ball Holder over costing 38 took him to three figures from 52 deliveries.
If Holder had not suffered enough, de Villiers ended the innings by clubbing him for four sixes in an over worth 30, leaving the seamer with sorry figures of 1-104 from 10.
LATEST: The updated Pool B Standings with 4 teams together on 4 Points at the top http://t.co/LllKLhkhzC#cwc15pic.twitter.com/dEDEjqL58j
— ICC (@ICC) February 27, 2015
West Indies’ faint victory hopes soon faded further when Gayle, who on Tuesday smashed the fastest ODI double-hundred, was cheaply bowled by Kyle Abbott, who struck again in his next over to have Marlon Samuels caught behind for nought.
With Jonathan Carter also gone, Tahir broke through twice in his first over and did likewise in his fourth to make the West Indies 63 for seven.
Holder’s first ODI fifty helped avoid the biggest loss in ODIs but not a World Cup. Shortly after he fell to Dale Steyn for 56, featuring four sixes, Morne Morkel sealed victory.
To make matters worse, bastman Darren Bravo was today ruled out of the World Cup by a hamstring tear he sustained versus Pakistan last week.