Live Commentary: South Africa vs. West Indies - as it happened

Morning guys and girls. Almost two weeks in and the famous Sydney Cricket Ground hosts its first game of the 2015 Cricket World Cup; should be a good one too as South Africa face West Indies.

How quickly things can change in tournament cricket. West Indies were shocked by Ireland in their opening game, but are suddenly looking rosy near the top of Pool B and now South Africa need the result after their 130-run mauling at the hands of India which was slammed as "unacceptable" by AB de Villiers.

SOUTH AFRICA WIN THE TOSS AND ELECT TO BAT Windies' rookie captain Jason Holder calls wrong at the toss and De Villiers is delighted to be able to bat first in what appear to be optimum conditions.

Changes for both sides, with the Caribbean outfit swapping spinner for spinner as Sulieman Benn comes in for Nikita Miller. The Proteas are without injured bowler Vernon Philander, and surprisingly leave out JP Duminy and Wayne Parnell. Rilee Rossouw, Farhaan Behardien and Kyle Abbott get their chances.

WINDIES: Chris Gayle, Dwayne Smith, Marlon Samuels, Jonathan Carter, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Lendl Simmons, Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Jason Holder (c), Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn

SOUTH AFRICA: Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wk), Faf Du Plessis, Rilee Russouw, AB de Villiers (c), David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Kyle Abbott, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir

South Africa will take great confidence from their recent 4-1 ODI series victory over the Windies, in which De Villiers brought the cricketing world to a standstill with the quickest ever century.

Chris Gayle shattered records himself with his devastating 215 against Zimbabwe last time out, becoming the first double centurion in World Cup history. The likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel helped keep him quiet in their pre-tournament series with a short-ball ploy and will likely return to that today.

The Proteas will be hoping that they can post a total beyond even Gayle as they prepare to have first go on this end-of-season Sydney wicket. What would that be, about 600? Big guns De Villiers or Hashim Amla are yet to fire, and with Duminy having been dropped, there is extra pressure on them to deliver here.

The two teams emerge for their national anthems, with the group of young mascots excitingly grabbing hold of the players' hands as they walk out onto the field. That reminds me of a heartwarming video that South Africa's official cricket channel shared prior to the tournament. Check this out:

Here we go then. Jerome Taylor to bowl to Quinton de Kock. Gayle perched at slip. Play!

Lovely start from De Kock as he just leans on a back-of-a-length Taylor delivery and the ball flies across the rapid outfield for four. A check drive goes to the fence a few balls later and only a diving stop from Lendl Simmons at cover prevents a third off-side boundary in an opening over which will put De Kock at ease, with the wicketkeeper having not been in the best of touch over the past year.

Holder takes the other new cherry and starts with a maiden. It could have been even better for the Windies skipper, as he nearly bowled Amla with a beauty which nipped back and cut him up.

Back-to-back maidens early doors, with Taylor restricting the room on offer to De Kock by coming round the wicket. His pace is up as he bangs one in which the left-hander tries and fails to carve away over point. De Kock drops into the leg-side final ball, but is sent back by Amla.

Usually an outswing bowler, Holder is getting some big movement coming back into the right-handed Amla. His line isn't quite right as he concedes a wide and a leg bye which brings De Kock on strike. The same round-the-wicket line is employed and an inside edge goes away for four through fine leg. Hands on head time for Holder, whose plan to cramp up De Kock nearly paid dividends there.

Amla gets off the mark 10th ball with a punch down the ground for two. He next stroke is less convincing as he squeezes a couple more through square leg. There is certainly some bounce in this track and Taylor exploits it to trouble Amla as he dots up the final four balls of the over.

WICKET! QUINTON DE KOCK caught RUSSELL bowled HOLDER 12(19)

De Kock tries to give himself room, only to cut the ball straight to Andre Russell at point. It is a simple catch and Holder has double reason to celebrate. Both he and Taylor tucked the left-hander up and frustrated him, drawing the poor shot. The plan was a good one and they executed it to perfection.

New man Faf du Plessis, who top scored with a half-century in the drubbing by India, lets the remaining two balls go outside off stump. A tight start from the Windies and they get their rewards.

Amla and Du Pleases each pick up two through the off-side, just using the extra pace of Taylor to pierce the off-side infield. A wide and an Amla single to mid-wicket, completed with him wearing only one shoe, make it six off the over. Du Plessis returns the boot and the magic slipper fits on Cinderella.

With full footwear this time, Amla takes another single into the leg-side to bring Faf on strike. Holder gets his length a bit wrong and Du Plessis works him off his hip, with good running earning him two to long leg. The final ball is fuller, drifts in slightly and threatens to sneak through Du Plessis' defence.

Taylor starts off his fifth over a bit wide, although Amla misses out as he twice finds Russell at point. Taylor changes things up with a bouncer which Amla swivels on the pull, again straight to the man on the fence. Du Plessis knocks the ball wide of mid-off and calls through for the over's other single.

A Holder over which goes for just one - a clip off the pads from Faf - ends what has been an excellent power play for the Windies, restricting the Proteas to just three an over and taking a wicket too. Amla is 9 off 25 and Du Plessis 6 off 16, with Holder showing cracking figures of 5-2-9-1.

#CWC15: @westindies' @Jaseholder98 celebrates after dismissing @QuinnyDeKock69 http://t.co/Od5FmNjg3V #SAvsWI #SCG pic.twitter.com/QgsjmWNRRR — cricketnext (@cricketnext) February 27, 2015

Russell into the attack, and this is where the Windies have lost their grip on previous games, with their change bowlers perhaps not reliable enough against top opposition. He starts off okay, nothing too short or wild, with Du Plessis flicking off his legs nicely for two to end a four-run over.

Double change as Marlon Samuels comes on to bowl his off-spin. The field spreads and South Africa take five easy runs from the over, with Du Plessis getting down low to play a subtle little scoop with the pick of the shots. I would liked to have seen Holder continue and try to snare another wicket, or at least stay on the attack. There were no men around the back and immediately four out in the deep.

Amla moves way across his stumps to work Russell through square-leg for two from a wide off-side line, and he collects two more with a drive to the man sweeping at deep cover. Du Plessis escapes with a top-edged hook which went high in the air, but wide of Benn coming round from third man.

This is more like it. Holder turns to his senior spinner Benn and has a slip in place for the tall left-armer. His bounce should make him more difficult to nudge and nurdle into the gaps which emerge upon the lifting of the fielding restrictions. Three singles off the over.

Russell is straight back on the short ball to Du Plessis, having nearly caught him out with it in the last over. A good bumper forcing Faf to duck, but the next one is not short enough and is swatted to the mid-wicket boundary. Amla nearly gets a four of his own as he guides the ball through backward point, with Benn coming round from third man and getting one of his size 15s down to save Windies a run. I think both of my feet could fit into one of those boots. We are back on shoes again...

Short and wide from Benn, and Amla thrashes away his first boundary of the innings. Sixteen overs in, that is quite remarkable, but the Windies are in danger of letting South Africa off the hook here after their disciplined start. It has been too easy for them in the last six overs and Amla and Du Plessis have been allowed to build a 50 partnership. They have gone at over sixes since the power play ended.

Russell continues after a short drinks break, and Du Plessis shows signs that he isn't quite picking up the pace of the pitch. He is early on a drive and a cut, with the bat face closing in his hand and leaving him shrugging his shoulders and chuntering to himself. Four still come off the over.

Benn finds Amla's outside edge, but the slip has been taken out as the Windies look to plug some of these gaps and it runs away for two. No turn as of yet, that was Amla just playing slightly down the wrong line. He is looking to get leg-side of the ball and play with the minimal spin through the off-side.

Sammy comes into the attack to try to help his side wrestle back some control, but his first over goes for seven. South Africa are rotating the strike much better than they were earlier, although there was an element of luck to a Du Plessis edge which goes through the vacant slip cordon for two.

It has been too easy for South Africa to pick up runs square off Benn. There is a bit more flight on offer this time, but Amla and Du Plessis adapt quickly and each take singles down the ground.

Slightly better from Sammy as his second over goes for just three, but he is not the most threatening bowler to face when set and Amla and Faf have now moved onto 39 and 31 respectively.

The Proteas continue to milk Benn, whose five overs have yielded 25 and gone by with minimal threat. A change is needed, but WI only really have Taylor to turn to as a genuine wicket taker.

This is not the most exciting period of play and, although West Indies need a wicket, that would likely bring AB to the crease and he may only need to bat for 20 overs to take the game away from them. They may prefer for these two to continue plodding along as they take three off Sammy's set.

The South African hundred is reached via an Amla whip to long-on - one of five singles off the over. The Windies look flat now and appear to just be waiting for something to happen.

FIFTY! A team milestone is followed by a personal one for Amla, who smashes Sammy back over his head to go to his 50 with the first maximum of the innings. It is his 28th ODI half-century, and he has 19 hundreds too, which is a conversion rate which gives the Windies cause for concern.

Benn is into his seventh over. There are runs on offer all around the wicket and Amla and Du Plessis help themselves to seven between them. Holder has to throw Taylor the ball here.

FIFTY! Du Plessis quickly follows Amla in going to his half-century and his comes at a much better pace, off 59 balls compared to Amla's 75. Good running brings him two after an unorthodox lift over the leg-side infield, and a much more aesthetic shot, one bounce into the long-off fence, takes him to 49. He brings up his second 50 of the tournament with a clip through mid-wicket.

FIFTY: Fifty now for Faf Du Plessis as well, South Africa starting to tick here http://t.co/uqe2Rtt1IZ #cwc15 #SAvWI pic.twitter.com/CUZqzvFJON — ICC (@ICC) February 27, 2015

Gayle has proven to be a useful part-time spinner in his time, but his almost lazy approach is probably the last thing that the Windies need at this moment. They need some energy back in their attack, somebody who is going to ask South Africa questions. They are going through the motions.

Holder turns back to his other part-time spinner and Samuels is easy pickings for a well-set Du Plessis, who plays that delicate scoop shot for two again before showing his more powerful side, waiting on the back foot and pumping him magnificently over extra cover for a one-bounce four. What a shot.

WICKET! FAF DU PLESSIS caught RAMDIN bowled GAYLE 62(70)

Much-needed breakthrough for the Windies and Gayle is perhaps the unlikely source! Du Plessis tries to repeat his back-foot carve of last over and there is just a bit of extra bounce, with Ramdin taking an excellent reflex up at head height after the ball flew off the edge. Faf goes for a well-compiled 62.

WICKET! HASHIM AMLA lbw GAYLE 65(88)

Two wickets in an over for Gayle! Wasn't someone questioning his introduction into the attack a minute ago? Amla is looking to work the ball to leg and pays for playing across the line as he is trapped in front of middle and leg. A review is not even considered. A great chance for a century escapes Amla, and the Proteas lose both of their set batsmen in quick succession as Gayle celebrates with a trademark dance!

What a pivotal over that could be, not long before the batting power play too. Rilee Rossouw surprisingly came in ahead of De Villiers at four, but his captain was soon forced to join him. There were three fielders around the bat to welcome AB, who gets off the mark with a flick to deep square.

Samuels's second spell is only an over like his first as Sammy comes back on. De Villiers is immediately into his groove as good running helps him to a couple of twos into the leg-side.

These two are already running between the wickets really well as they scamper for two following Rossouw's carve through point. De Villiers gets a couple of his own, backing away and engineering a cut behind square. Gayle's spirits are not dampened, though, and he finishes the over joking with Rossouw as he makes a playfully dramatic attempt of collecting the ball off his own bowling.

Rossouw is the one laughing now. He is quickly onto two short balls from Sammy and hits both between the two deep fielders in front of square on the leg-side. Both power and placement on display there from the left-hander, who is already on 15 from 10, with De Villiers 10 from 11 at the other end.

A tighter Gayle over is somewhat ruined by a last-ball wide and the single that follows from the extra ball. Five off it and the Proteas break for drinks having confidently consolidated after the loss of two quick wickets. They should have 320 on their minds as the batting power play approaches.

With the power play in mind, Taylor is given an over to get loose and it is a costly one as Rossouw gets hold of him, twisting to pull the ball sweetly to the square-leg boundary off the final ball, have sprinted through for two the previous delivery to keep the strike after a chop down to third-man.

Captain Holder backs himself as the fielding restrictions are lifted. He gets a few yorkers in, but the Windies still manage eight from the set, nearly as many as Holder conceded throughout his whole first spell. These two are running tremendously, but there needs to be more effort from the boundary fielders to attack the ball and prevent two. They are a bit casual about their work at the moment.

Brilliant stuff from Rossouw, who slaps a Taylor full toss for four through cover and then shows his finesse by guiding a no-ball wide of third-man for another boundary. The 50 partnership between these two, off only 41 balls, is up and so is South Africa's 200. AB's boot blocks the straight swat off the free hit, but De Villiers makes amends by driving an over-pitched ball past the mid-off fielder to the fence. Eighteen runs off what is comfortably the most productive over of the innings thus far.

South Africa are really motoring now and, having played second fiddle to Rossouw so far in this partnership, De Villiers comes to the fore with consecutive boundaries off Holder. There is just enough on the first one to get over the bowler's head and run away, and the second is the cleanest cover drive that you could wish to see. It whistles past Gayle in short and takes AB to 34(24). Rossouw 42 off 28.

FIFTY! Rossouw brings up a superb 31-ball half-century in style, flailing a Taylor bouncer over point for six, playing the upper-cut with both of his feet off the ground. I cannot emphasise how well these two are running. Sixteen off a one-boundary over probably demonstrates that better than I could.

FIFTY! Holder goes to the spin of Benn, but the result is the same and De Villiers goes six, four, four, to reach his own fifty! The shot of the day, a sublime six over extra cover, is followed by a whip to the mid-wicket fence and a carve of a long hop over the off-side infield. These two have now put on 100 off just 61 balls. It has been a fantastic partnership which is taking the game away from WI.

The Windies will have been relieved to see the back of a batting power play which yielded a massive 72 runs - 17 more than any previous one during the tournament - but Russell's first over back still goes for 11. He survives the first four balls with minimal damage, but AB is quick on a slightly short ball to pull for four and then launches a half-volley over extra cover. You cannot set a field to him in this form.

The Proteas charge is showing no signs of letting up. A boundary each for Rossouw and De Villiers mean that another over goes for double figures and Benn is now 0-66 off his nine.

WICKET! RILEE ROSSOUW caught RAMDIN bowled RUSSELL 61(39)

A top knock from Rossouw comes to an end as he gets a thick edge through to Ramdin trying to carve Russell through the off-side. The left-hander is only in the side due to an injury to JP Duminy, but boy he has taken his chance with a combination of excellent running and clinical hitting.

Carnage in #SAvWI! Highest Batting Powerplay at #cwc15 with 72 runs De Villiers 50 off 30 Balls 258 for 3 from 40 pic.twitter.com/dvVbFi8Lk6

— ICC (@ICC) February 27, 2015

David Miller is the new man and he too can be a very dangerous player. The IPL star is coming off the back of a big hundred against Zimbabwe too, and gets off the mark with a couple first ball.

AB tortures Benn some more with a couple of sweeps, one along the floor finding the gap perfectly and the other also going to the boundary, over the top of the man who had been brought across to reinforce that area. He moves onto 78 off 42 rocks, and I bet there's only a handful of dots in there.

This De Villiers chap is on a different level. He gets down on one knee to scoop Russell over long leg for six, having previously dashed through for successive twos. With five overs to go and AB at full throttle, South Africa will be reevaluating and looking at around 375 here.

Holder packs the off-side and bowlers a wide line to Miller. He cannot pierce the field and find a boundary, but five scampered twos and a wide mean that 11 still come off the 46th over. The final ball could have brought a wicket, but Gayle lost the ball in the sun and dropped a tricky catch over his head.

WICKET! DAVID MILLER caught TAYLOR bowled RUSSELL 20(16)

Jerome Taylor takes the spotlight away from De Villiers for just a moment as he takes a brilliant catch on the boundary to dismiss Miller! Russell kneels and bows before his teammate, and rightly so after Taylor nonchalantly held on one-handed on the stretch after running round from long-on. Incredible.

Farhaan Behardien is in at seven and gets a single out to the off-side sweeper first ball. De Villiers wants the strike back and nicks a single, when a direct hit from Russell would have had him.

HUNDRED! De Villiers goes to an astonishing 52-ball century - the second fastest ever in the World Cup - with a six over mid-wicket. He starts the over on 95, and ends it on 127 as Holder goes for 34 in the second most expensive over in tournament history. Outrageous lap and reverse sweeps and another maximum to cow corner are highlights. This man is setting new standards for ODI batting.

Behardien gets in on the act with a six over long-off off Russell, and the Proteas now have their highest ever score in a World Cup. De Villiers, given a lifeline by Benn in the last over, is dropped again, this time by Carter diving low to his right out at square-leg. The ball goes for four to rub salt into now wide-open wounds. And there is still one over left, although the damage has already been done.

Two, six, six, four, six, six! De Villiers smashes 30 off the final over to take his side past 400. He finishes 162 not out off 66 balls, hitting 17 fours and eight sixes. He has taken his opposite number apart. Holder was 1-40 off eight and ends up having gone for a century of his own, 104 off 10.

408 for 5! Fastest ever 150 for AB 30 off the final over! #cwc15 everybody!! http://t.co/uqe2RtKCAx #SAvWI pic.twitter.com/VcTUax8fiW

— ICC (@ICC) February 27, 2015

STATS: De Villiers now has the fastest 50, 100 and 150 in ODI cricket history; 408-5 is the second highest score in World Cup history, and the biggest ever ODI score on Australian soil.

The Proteas added 150 in the final 10 overs and 222 in the final 15. Holder conceded 95 runs in his last five overs, having only gone for nine in his first five. You have to feel sympathy for the young Windies captain. He was almost helpless to stop De Villiers, although not bowling length may have helped.

The modest and focused Proteas skipper speaking to Sky Sports News: "It was a very enjoyable knock today. The foundation from the boys at the start freed me up. I had a bit of luck here and there.

"I'm not a huge fan of setting targets but we had plans in place of reaching 300 halfway through the innings. This game is only half way and the only thing on my mind is winning. We want to go and defend this total."

I wouldn't have too many worries about defending the total, AB. Even 11 Chris Gayles may not be enough for the Windies to chase down 409. No, that's not a typo to those of you just waking up and joining us. Go and get your cuppa quickly and you might just catch the highlights of something really special.

Gayle and company begin their chase very shortly. He is their only hope of getting anywhere close to this mammoth total, but, realistically, the Caribbean outfit may settle for getting around 300 and not suffering a defeat too damaging to their net run rate. Anyone got a number for a Brian Charles Lara?

Dwayne Smith is Gayle's opening partner, and he faces up to the first ball. It's all good, though, South Africa's strength is their batting. They only have Dale Steyn to take the new ball. Play!

The Windies are straight on the attack, and you have to be when you need over eight an over from the start. Gayle does not get all of a leg-side heave and they jog through for a third. Smith does connect cleanly with his front-foot pull and sends Steyn into the stands. Well, they are up with the rate...

WICKET! CHRIS GAYLE bowled ABBOTT 3(4)

Gayle tries to give himself room to free his arms, but the ball from Abbott, who takes the other new ball rather than Morne Morkel, cramps him up and cannons into leg stump. Start the car.

Samuels survives a huge lbw shout first up! Abbott is convinced that he has another scalp, with the ball drifting back in and hitting the pads. There is a sense that there is some bat involved, though, and that deters AB from going for a review which would have seen Samuels back in the pavilion. Snicko suggest that there was no inside edge and Hawk-eye says that the ball was striking middle and leg.

The over starts with a couple of extras, but otherwise Steyn looks good for an early wicket too. Samuels can be an uncertain starter and he is stuck in the crease, prodding loosely with the bat.

WICKET! MARLON SAMUELS caught DE KOCK bowled ABBOTT 0(9)

No feet again from Samuels and he feathers the ball through to De Kock. Both of West Indies' centurions from the game against Zimbabwe, their two most senior batsmen, are gone inside four overs.

The Caribbean outfit could be three down already, but Steyn cannot react quickly enough to take what was not the most difficult caught and bowled chance off Smith. Jonathan Carter is Smith's new partner. The left-hander has only played in seven ODIs and has a highest score of 40.

Abbott is a bit loose and Smith capitalises on some width to throw his hands through a crunching off-side drive. The bowler then drops short and Carter finds the fence with the perfect pull shot.

Morne Morkel is into the attack early. He thrives on bouncy wickets, but the ball appears to be dying as it goes through to De Kock, so it will be interesting to see if he can extract some life from it. Smith takes a first-ball single to mid-wicket. So nearly a run out as Carter pushes straight to extra cover and runs. Rossouw has three stumps to aim and misses by a whisker. Smith was left for dead.

Smith is riding his luck! He miscues a leg-side slog and Imran Tahir shells a fairly simple catch at mid-on. Abbott has his head in his hands - if there was one man in the Proteas side who you wouldn't want the ball to go to. Two balls later, an inside edge just evades the stumps and runs away.

This time Smith does get hold off a lofted shot and then ball skips away for four through mid-wicket. A fielder goes back and he clips a single out to him to keep the strike.

Final over of the power play, and Smith is definitely targeting the mid-on, mid-wicket area. He takes a length delivery from Abbott and lifts it over the infield for four. Carter cannot get the ball away a easily. He cuts straight to the gully fielder and mistimes a pull which cannot pierce the ring.

WICKET! JONATHAN CARTER caught DE VILLIERS bowled MORKEL 10(20)

Carter is good on the pull, but Morkel perhaps just rushes him a little here. He is a bit late on the shot, the bat face closes and De Villiers scrambles to take a decent catch at mid-wicket.

WICKET! DWAYNE SMITH caught MILLER bowled TAHIR 31(34)

Two in two balls for the Proteas, and Tahir is immediately among the wickets! He dropped a fairly simple catch off Abbott a few overs back, but his teammates do not let him down in the same manner as Miller holds on for a cracker at long-on. Smith went big first ball, and Miller made up a lot of ground from long-on to clinging on diving upwards to his left. Nearly as good as Taylor's earlier!

WICKET! LENDL SIMMONS lbw TAHIR 0(2)

It is all going horribly wrong for the Windies. Tahir traps Simmons with what looked like the googly, and umpire Steve Davis gives the lbw. Simmons trudges off for a second-ball duck without reviewing, despite there appearing to be an inside edge. That may be a case of throwing in the towel.

Ramdin gets on top of a fabulous cut stroke off Morkel which flies to the point fence. He is running out of able partners now, though. Sammy and Russell are bashers, not blockers, and the West Indies are in danger of falling to a defeat that would surely smash World Cup records.

Three comes off Tahir's second over. Incidentally, the biggest margin of defeat in a World Cup game is 257 runs when Bermuda were thrashed by India in 2007. WI are currently 348 behind.

Sammy drops one into the off-side and calls Ramdin through for the only run of the 15th over. Steyn is back and will want to get in on the act. He only has two wickets so far in the tournament.

Tahir rushes through another over in which Ramdin pats back the dots after Sammy picked up an early single. The players take drinks. The Windies might need something stronger than juice.

Steyn continues and goes past the outside edge of Ramdin a couple of times.

JP Duminy's wife (far right) and some of the other lady Proteas will certainly be enjoying what they are watching from the VIP boxes at the SCG. I'm suddenly enjoying my morning a lot more too.

#ProteaFire 🔥👊 pic.twitter.com/uAyVzcTbL6

— Sue Duminy (@sueduminy_21) February 27, 2015

WICKET! DARREN SAMMY stumped DE KOCK bowled TAHIR 5(11)

Tahir has another and it's the googly again. Sammy backs away to try to hit over extra cover, with the ball spinning in between bat and pad. De Kock quickly whips the bails off and the third umpire confirms that his foot was raised and not back in time. Smart work with the gloves and Tahir goes on another lap of honour.

WICKET! ANDRE RUSSELL caught ABBOTT bowled TAHIR 0(3)

It is two in an over for Tahir again as Russell slices an attempted cut to short third-man, where Abbott takes a good catch diving forward. It is a tragic performance from the Windies, but South Africa deserve huge credit for remaining ruthless and focused in the field despite the contest long being over.

Helpless captain Holder joins Ramdin (6*) at the crease and greets him with a glove punch. Is there no match situation where that becomes unacceptable? 64-7, chasing 409 to win. Touch me.

Holder seems to be struggling with an injury and has already had the physio out to receive treatment. He is back on his feet to launch Tahir over his head for a sizeable six.

De Villiers uses this opportunity to give Du Plessis a roll. The number three and Farhaan Behardien are South Africa's fifth bowler and key to their side if they are to stick with this long batting lineup, but do not have many overs under their belts. Faf's gentle leg breaks go for three.

As Ramdin plods his way along, Holder lines up Tahir and again clears the hopes with a sweet shot over long-off. They think a lot of this boy in the Caribbean, as a captain, bowler and even a batsman. He's had a difficult day, but a few more of those will cheer him up just a fraction.

Six come off Faf's second over. Wayne Parnell was the bowler dropped to accommodate the extra batsman, but I'm not sure Du Plessis is the answer to SA's fifth bowler quandary.

Another good shot from Holder, who opens the face and squeezes Tahir through a gap on the off-side, with the ball running away to the boundary. He has 25 off 21 balls, Ramdin 40 off 14.

Du Plessis is a bit short and Ramdin gets inside the line to cut behind square for four to bring up the Windies hundred. They still need 15 runs to avoid the heaviest ever ODI defeat.

WICKET! DENESH RAMDIN bowled TAHIR 22(47)

Tahir wheels off in celebration after securing a World Cup five-for. It is another googly which fools Ramdin and goes through his open defences. Beautiful bowling from the leggie, who now has 5-32.

GOT HIM! A beauty from Imran Tahir & he's got 5 for! What a spell of bowling! http://t.co/uqe2Rtt1IZ #SAvWI #cwc15 pic.twitter.com/ymQ8D0a6sE — ICC (@ICC) February 27, 2015

A single apiece through third-man takes the Windies' deficit under 300. Abbott is the bowler and he is convinced that he has Holder lbw with an inswinging yorker. The original decision is not out, but again a review is not called for because of fears over an inside edge. No bat on that. That was plumb.

Fast bowler Taylor is the new Windies batsman. He is known for being aggressive at the best of times, but restrains himself as Tahir flights the ball up to pat back a maiden.

Taylor gets off the mark by dispatching an Abbott full toss one-handed through mid-wicket. A big heave goes aerial, but lands safely between Miller at point and Morkel at third man.

Fortune favours Taylor again as a horrible slice just drops over Abbott's shoulder. Holder gives Tahir a forceful farewell as he lifts over cover for four before smashing him over long-on for six. Tahir still finishes with the best World Cup figures by a South African spinner, 10-1-45-5.

For the third over in a row, Taylor escapes with a top edge, this one splitting Rossouw and Tahir behind square on the leg side. Holder remains composed pulls with authority to the boundary. He clips for two into the leg-side and scampers a single to move onto 49 from only 41 balls.

FIFTY! A half-century for Holder - the smallest of consolation prizes for the captain who is going to finish on the wrong end of a thumping defeat. He has hit the ball with great power and timing, but has also been selective when going on the attack. I don't think he's going to finish his career batting at nine. Taylor gets in on the act, lofting Morkel over cover with the flair of the Caribbean batsman of old.

WICKET! JASON HOLDER caught AMLA bowled STEYN 56(48)

Holder's valiant stand comes to an end as Steyn picks up his first wicket. His bouncer is simply too quick for Holder, whose attempted pull hits the splice of his bat and loops straight to Amla at mid-on.

The captain's efforts have ensured that the West Indies have avoided falling to the heaviest ODI defeat of all time. One more run will see them escape the embarrassment of the biggest losing margin in a World Cup match. Number 11 Sulieman Benn joins Taylor (15*) to try to see them over that line.

WICKET! SULIEMAN BENN caught AMLA bowled MORKEL 1(3)

No, they can't! Benn can do nothing with a rising Morkel delivery which would have been plenty good enough for more esteemed batsman, and an edge goes straight into the hands of Amla at slip.

South Africa equal India's 2007 thrashing of Bermuda for the biggest margin of victory in a World Cup match. AB de Villiers is undoubtedly man of the match for his incomparable 162* off 66 balls.

Open letter to @ABdeVilliers17.... Well done champion, you're the best in the business! That's all. — Albie Morkel (@albiemorkel) February 27, 2015

It is strange to think that West Indies were right in this match 30 overs into the first innings with South Africa at 146-3. A superb 134-run partnership between AB and Rilee Rossouw (61) quickly took the game away from them and De Villiers then went ballistic in the final 10 overs to add further pain.

The damage was done with the bat, but a mention also to Imran Tahir, who bamboozled the Windies with his googlies to take 5-45 - the second best ODI figures ever by a South African spinner.

De Villiers speaking upon collecting his man-of-the-match award at the end of the game: "I think the credit must go to the guys up front for setting a base. Rillee [Rossouw] inspired me a bit with his effort and that affected how I played. After timing a few I got the momentum behind me.

"The main thing is to know your own game, know your strengths and weaknesses and when to hone in on the former. I enjoy myself out there. I see it is getting momentum and reading the situation in the middle. I earned the right to have a go at the bowlers in the latter stages of the innings."

A brilliant result for the Proteas, especially off the back of their heavy defeat to India in Melbourne. They are now level with MS Dhoni's side, Ireland and the West Indies on four points in Pool B, although the comprehensive manner of this loss has left the latter trailing behind on net run-rate.

The table is evidence that this result, however crushing, is not decisive for the West Indies. Their quarter-final destiny is still in their own hands. Jason Holder may have a task on his hands rallying the troops, though. What a day it was for their young skipper, who top scored with 56 after being massacred by De Villiers in his final spell to slip to figures of 10-2-104-1 from 5-2-9-1. One he won't forget anytime soon.

South Africa, meanwhile are back in action against Ireland at Canberra on Tuesday. Sports Mole is back with more live coverage before that as we will bring you every ball of the mouth-watering clash between co-hosts Australia and New Zealand from 12.30am tomorrow. Thanks for joining us. Until then...