South Africa defeated the Netherlands by a huge 231 runs in their Group B match at Mohali. South Africa’s win is the fourth-biggest in a World Cup match in terms of by-runs margin.
Netherlands were dismissed for just 120 runs after South Africa piled up 351/5 with the help of centuries from Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers.
Netherlands won the toss and chose to field first. South Africa began cautiously as Graeme Smith (20) and Amla put on 51 runs for the first wicket in almost 13 overs. Jacques Kallis (2) was out cheaply when he was caught behind off the bowling of Ryan ten Doeschate to reduce South Africa to 58/2 in the 16th over.
Amla and De Villiers then got together to add 221 runs for the third wicket, the highest partnership for South Africa for any wicket in the World Cups. Amla brought up his first World Cup century scoring 113 runs off 130 balls that included eight boundaries.
De Villiers brought up his second successive World Cup century off just 88 balls and he opened up after reaching the triple figure mark as he blasted 34 runs in the next 10 balls. He hit 13 fours and four sixes before he was run out going for the second run.
JP Duminy provided the finishing touches to the innings, blazing to 40 runs off just 15 balls that included four sixes and two fours. Ten Doeschate took 3/72 for the Netherlands.
Netherlands never got going after they lost Alexei Kervezee (10) with just 26 runs on the board. They lost wickets at regular intervals as none of the top order batsmen fired with the bat, except Wesley Barresi, who top-scored for the Netherlands with 44 runs that came from 66 balls with five hits to the fence.
Ryan ten Doeschate managed just 11 runs in the match before he was dismissed and with him went down the chances of running the side close.
For South Africa, Imran Tahir took 3/19 while Kallis (2/19) and Robin Peterson (2/22) chipped in with two wickets each. Tahir had scalped four wickets in the previous game and has now seven in two games.
AB de Villiers was declared the man of the match for this magnificent 134 runs.