Amla, Du Plessis whip up Irish cream

Reuters

Canberra, March 3: South Africa put one foot in the World Cup quarterfinals by batting past the 400-run mark for the second successive match to hand Ireland a thumping defeat by 201 runs with five overs to spare at Manuka Oval here Tuesday.

Hashim Amla hit his highest one-day score with a majestic 159 (128b, 16×4, 4×6) and Faf du Plessis (109, 109b, 10×4, 1×6)  grabbed a century to drive the Proteas to 411 for four before Ireland, despite some stiff resistance from their middle and lower orders, were dismissed for 210.

The Irish were unbeaten in the tournament coming into this Pool B clash but were simply outclassed in all departments by the in-form South Africans, who crushed West Indies by 257 runs in Sydney earlier.

Amla had been dropped on 10 and should have been run out on 104 but otherwise batted with his trademark calmness and at one stage it looked like he would match Chris Gayle’s double century on the same pitch last Tuesday. Amla reached his 20^th ODI century at a run-a-ball in a partnership of 247 with Du Plessis – a record second wicket stand for South Africa.

The 31-year-old had hit 16 fours and four sixes by the time he holed out to Ed Joyce in the deep, 36 overs after the former England batsman had dropped him at mid-wicket off Kevin O’Brien’s first delivery. Amla has scored his 20 one-day centuries in fewer innings than any other batsman, taking 108 knocks compared to the 133 it took India’s Virat Kohli to reach the mark.

After the departure of the two centurions Rilee Rossouw, confirmed his fine form with a second successive quickfire innings of  61 not out (30b, 6×4, 3×6). He put on an unbeaten 110-run partnership with left-hander David Miller (46 n o, 23b, 4×4, 2×6) in 51 balls to propel the Proteas past the 400-run mark.

Ireland’s renown as a side capable of chasing big targets was always going to be sorely tested by a South African bowling unit led by Dale Steyn, who took 2-39 in his 100th ODI.

The paceman, bowling at speeds approaching the 150 kph mark, picked up two early wickets and Kyle Abbott pitched in with three to reduce Ireland to 48-5 in the 11th over.

Andrew Balbirnie (58, 71b, 7×4) and Kevin (48, 65b, 6×4) stopped the rot with a 81-run partnership that ended when the former was caught in the deep by Rossouw off Morne Morkel (3/34) for 58.

Brief Scores: South Africa 411/4 (Hashim Amla 159, Faf du Plessis 109, David Miller 46 n o, Rilee Rossouw 61  n o, Andy McBrine 2-63) beat Ireland 210 in 45 overs (Andy Balbirnie 58, Kevin O’ Brien 48; Kyle Abbott 4-21, Morne Morkel 3-34) by 201 runs.