South Africa beat India by 135 runs in first ODI

Harbhajan Singh is bowled during the first one-day international between South Africa and India at Sahara Stadium in Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday. (GETTY)

Published Wednesday, January 12, 2011

By Agencies

South Africa’s fast bowlers blasted India out for 154 for a 135-run win in the first one-day international on Wednesday.

Lonwabo Tsotsobe claimed 4-31 at Kingsmead, while Morne Morkel took 2-12 and Dale Steyn 2-29 as India succumbed to the Proteas’ pacemen in less than 36 overs in pursuit of South Africa’s 289-9.

Virat Kohli made a battling 54 and Suresh Raina 32, but the tourists collapsed to 95-5 under floodlights in the day/night match, losing its last three wickets for six runs.

The home team posted the challenging target after half-centuries by AB de Villiers (76), JP Duminy (73) and Hashim Amla (50).

South Africa leads 1-0 in the five-match series. The second game is at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Saturday.

AB de Villiers and JP Duminy shared a 131-run fourth wicket partnership to provide the bulk of South Africa's total of 289 for nine.

De Villiers hit 76 off 69 balls, while Duminy scored 73 off 89 deliveries.

While they were together South Africa looked on target for a total of more than 300 but both fell to the part-time off-spin of Rohit Sharma instead of cashing in towards thes end of the innings.

In a departure from their normal tactics, South Africa took the batting powerplay after 27 overs and it seemed to pay off as De Villiers and Duminy added 45 runs in five overs and forced India to use some of their better bowlers early.

But De Villiers holed out to deep midwicket and Duminy was leg before wicket when he missed an attempted reverse sweep, leaving South Africa without a specialist batsman for the last eight overs.

Even so it was a challenging total on an outfield slower than usual because of rain in the days leading up to the match.

Opening bowler Zaheer Khan took two for 44, with both his wickets coming in the last over of the innings, while Sharma's seven overs brought him two for 30.

Hashim Amla got the South African innings off to a fast start, scoring 50 off 36 balls with eight fours.

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