South Africa's Dale Steyn pats a dejected Windies skipper Jason Holder after his knock of 56 - Getty Images
By Patrick R. Anderson
AB de Villiers exploded yet again.
Just as he did in South Africa against these woeful at times West Indies, de Villiers went off at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday, this time in a World Cup match, to plunder the fastest 150 in ODI history and help his team crush the West Indies by 257 runs.
Batting after winning the toss, South Africa suffered an early setback when de Kock was caught at point by Andre Russell off skipper Jason Holder. But that was it for the Windies. Hamish Amla and Faf du Plessis put on 127 for the 2nd wicket off 23.4 overs, with du Plessis making 62 and Amla 65 when both were removed quickly by Chris Gayle 2-21.
But de Villiers batting at number 5 joined Rilee Roussouw, and the pair bludgeoned the Windies, Roussouw hitting 61 in a 134 run partnership for the 4th wicket with de Villiers off 12.3 overs. South Africa hit a record 261 runs off the last 20 overs; de Villers blasted the fastest 150 in ODI history, ending on 162 not out off 66 balls, the 150 coming off 64 deliveries. de Villiers hit 17 fours and 8 sixes in 1 hr and 43 mins of share destruction of the Windies bowlers. de Villiers now has the record for the fastest 50, 100 and 150 in ODI history, all against the West Indies.
The defeat by 257 runs is the joint worst in World Cup history, and Holder's 1-104 off 10 overs is the worst 10-over analysis in world cup history. South Africa scored 408-5 off their 50-overs and the challenge was always improbable especially if Chris Gayle was not around.
And he was not.
He was quickly bowled by Kyle Abbott for 3 and Marlon Samuels went for a duck, and once both inform batsmen, particularly Gayle was gone early, the writing was on the wall.
Dwayne Smith made 31, Denesh Ramdin 22, and skipper Holder hit 56 off 48 balls to avoid further embarrassment as the sole holder of the worst defeat in world cup history.
Imran Tahir, the leg spinner, claimed 5-45, Morne Morkel 2-23 and Kyle Abbott 2-37. Dale Steyn chipped in with 1-24, as the West Indies crumbled to 151 all out off 33.1 overs.
The Windies fell to 4th in Pool B with 4 points but from 4 matches. India leads with 4 points from 2 matches; South Africa 4 points from 3 matches; and Ireland 4 points from 2 matches.
The West Indies next play India next friday at the WACA in Perth starting at 1:30am local time.
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