By Bharat Sharma, IANS,
Mohali, March: Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers hit centuries and their record 221-run third-wicket stand paved the way for South Africa to score an emphatic 231-run victory over the Netherlands in a World Cup Group B match here Thursday.
Amla (113) and De Villiers (134) batted the Dutch out of the game and South African spinners Irman Tahir (3/19), Robin Peterson (2/22) and Jean Paul Duminy (1/16) ran through the Netherlands innings in 34.5 overs for a paltry 120.
It is the Netherlands’ second lowest total in ODIs and their third consecutive defeat in the 2011 World Cup.
Chasing the massive target, none of the Dutch batsmen, barring opener Wesley Baressi (44), could make an impression on a damp pitch at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium.
After star player Ryan ten Doeschate (9) departed in the 28th over, lbw to Dale Steyn, the Dutch were reeling at 100 for five. The last five wickets could add just 20 runs as the South African spinners hastened their end.
Put in, under overcast conditions, Amla and De Villiers regained control over the game after skipper Graeme Smith (20) and Jacques Kallis (2) had departed for 58 runs by the 16th over.
South Africa made a cautious start as the Dutch medium pacers got some assistance from the track that had got a bit damp in the overnight rain.
Medium-pacer Mudassar Bukhari was most economical Dutch bowler, conceding 44 runs in his 10 overs. He was exceptional in his first spell, during which he conceeded just 17 runs from six overs. Doeschate bagged three wickets but was expensive, giving away 72 runs in his 10 overs.
Amla made most of a chance he got on 18, when he edged Bukhari to wicketkeeper Baressi in the seventh over. Amla walked but umpire Richard Kettleborough ruled him not out after consulting the third umpire. TV replays showed that the ball touched the ground before Baressi took the catch.
The pitch eased out gradually and both Amla and De Villiers played crisp strokes on both sides of the wicket. Amla struck eight fours in his 130-ball knock for his eighth ODI century.
De Villiers played an aggressive knock for his 11th hundred, the second consecutive in this World Cup, smashing 14 fours and four sixes in his 98-ball stay. He got to his 50 off 58 balls and went after spinner Pieter Seelaar in the 42nd over, hitting him for two sixes and a four. He then smashed medium pacer Bernard Loots for three consecutive sixes in a 24-run 44th over.
Doeschate struck in the 45th over to get rid of Amla and in the next over De Villiers was run out. Jean Paul Duminy then played a cameo of 40 off 15 balls to take the score past 350.