Windies bombed out for 54

South Africa 263 for 4 (Kallis 109*, Rudolph 61*) beat West Indies 54 (Klusener 3-9) by 209 runs
Scorecard

Lance Klusener made a memorable comeback with the ball, and Jacques Kallis scored his fifth century in as many internationals, as South Africa launched the five-match one-day series with a thumping 209-run victory at Newlands. Chasing a target of 263, Windies lost their last six wickets for 16, as they tumbled to 54 all out, their lowest total in ODI history.

Klusener, who had not played for South Africa since that fateful World Cup semi-final at Durban last March, was right in the thick of things with wickets in each of his first three overs. West Indies were 32 for 3 as came on to bowl, as he took over where Andre Nel and Shaun Pollock had left off. It was left to Makhaya Ntini to bomb out the tail, to complete a very sorry batting effort.

With the Cape Town floodlights in their favour, all of South Africa's bowlers found a perfect length to exploit the tricky conditions, and wickets tumbled with numbing regularity. After Chris Gayle had smeared a smart catch to Graeme Smith off Pollock, Nel popped up with two big breakthroughs. First Lara was unluckily adjudged lbw as he padded up to one that pitched outside leg, then Shivnarine Chanderpaul attempted a drive but could only pop a simple catch to Jacques Rudolph for 14.

Klusener then took centre stage. He was welcomed back in brusque fashion by Ricardo Powell, who thumped his second ball, a stray leg-side delivery, for six over midwicket. But Klusener struck back two balls later with a perfectly pitched delivery that seamed and took the edge (38 for 4).

Dwayne Smith followed suit in Klusener's very next over, before Ntini nailed Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw for 5. And when Ryan Hurley was squared up by Klusener and squirted a sharp chance to Kallis at second slip, West Indies were 43 for 7, and it was time for South Africa to start showing their class.

Step forward, Herschelle Gibbs, who pulled off one of the more stunning catches in one-day history - diving low and full to his left at gully to pluck Vasbert Drakes's cut clean out of the air. The beneficiary was Ntini, who followed up by extracting Merv Dillon for 1. The only fitting end to the innings was a shambolic run-out, and so Corey Collymore duly obliged.

None of it would have been possible, however, had it not been for Jacques Kallis's magnificent century, his fifth in as many matches against South Africa after his phenomenal showing in the Tests. Kallis rescued South Africa's innings after a ponderous and ended up with 109 not out from 94 balls, his 11th ODI century. He added an unbeaten 162 for the fifth wicket with Jacques Rudolph, after South Africa had been restricted to 110 for 4 at the halfway mark of their innings.

It was a wonderfully paced innings from Kallis, whose first task was to provide a steady influence after a jittery period early in the innings. But having crept to 26 not out from 47 balls, Kallis cut loose in the final 15 overs. Vasbert Drakes's figures were ruined when his tenth over was spanked for 22, including consecutive sixes.

The West Indian effort had started rather well. After their imperious form in the Test series, Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs had found it hard to convert their fluency into the one-day game. Smith toughed it out in difficult conditions, making 53 from 74 balls, but he was never at his best and struggled throughout with a knee injury.

Kallis's arrival had been delayed by a misguided decision to send in Robin Peterson as a pinch-hitter. Peterson was eventually run out for 21, before Smith played all round a straight delivery from Ryan Hurley, and Boeta Dippenaar lobbed his fourth ball from Vasbert Drakes to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at mid-on, At 101 for 4, the situation seemed tailor-made for a Klusener special. As it turned out, he would make his mark with the other string to his bow.