Blown away again

ST JOHN'S, Antigua (AP):Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers both struck 102 to help South Africa brush aside West Indies by 66 runs in the first one-day international at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium yesterday.

Amla and de Villiers shared a third-wicket stand of 129 that set up a formidable total of 280-7 off 48 overs.

Opener Amla anchored the innings with his second one-day ton, lashing eight fours off 109 deliveries.

De Villiers plundered five fours and two sixes in compiling his seventh century at this level. He occupied 101 balls.

West Indies struggled in pursuit of their slightly adjusted Duckworth/Lewis target of 282 and was bowled out for 215 off 44.1 overs.

Six of the top seven home batsmen got into double figures but captain Chris Gayle's 45 was the top score.

Morne Morkel claimed 3-40 while fellow seamers Dale Steyn (2-37) and Ryan McLaren (2-37) supported well.

Off-spinner Johan Botha claimed 2-47.

Earlier, Amla and captain Graeme Smith gave South Africa a rousing start, adding 53 off 6.5 overs either side of a 36-minute rain delay that forced a reduction in overs.

All-rounder Dwayne Bravo removed Smith for 18 and Jacques Kallis on 1 in successive overs as the visitors dipped to 57-2.

Smith edged behind while Kallis slashed to third man.

Amla, who passed 1,000 one-day runs during his innings, collected his 50 off 54 balls and, with de Villiers, gradually tilted the balance back to South Africa.

De Villiers reached his half century off 62 deliveries just before Amla passed three figures.

Once Amla was bowled by Ravi Rampaul, de Villiers dominated the latter part of the innings.

Left-hander David Miller contributed an unbeaten 23 off 16 balls.

Pace ace Steyn rocked West Indies early with the wicket of the struggling Andre Fletcher, who edged to second slip at 4-1.

Gayle survived two chances at eight and 22 to forge a fightback with Dwayne Bravo (15). The pair put on 40 for the second wicket.

Bravo eventually fell to McLaren for 15 while Gayle miscued a pull at Morkel to leave the hosts struggling at 69-3.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (38) and Narsingh Deonarine (26) shared an innings-high stand of 61 but they could not find the necessary acceleration.

Botha dismissed Deonarine to a top-edged sweep and Morkel returned to capture Sarwan, who dragged on at 140-5.

Kieron Pollard offered a flicker of hope in a 37-ball 44 peppered with five fours and a six.

He added 52 with Denesh Ramdin before both fell within five runs of each other to end the challenge.

Steyn forced Ramdin to chop on to his own stumps on 17 while Pollard holed out to long on for Morkel's third wicket.