AP, Sydney :AB de Villiers scored the second-fastest World Cup century in a display of brutal late hitting to set South Africa on course for a record-equaling 257-run win over West Indies in a Pool B match on Friday.De Villiers made an unbeaten 162 off 66 balls, with 17 boundaries and eight sixes, as he dismantled the West Indies’ attack and pushed South Africa’s innings to an imposing 408-5.The South Africa skipper reached his century off 52 balls and continued to dominate, helping his team add 80 runs of the last 3.2 overs of its innings. The bowlers were just as punishing, dismissing the West Indies for 151 to equal the biggest winning margin in tournament history.Leg-spinner Imran Tahir took 5-45 to seal the crushing victory for South Africa, a resounding comeback following its meek 130-run loss to defending champion India last weekend.Kyle Abbott took the prize wickets of Chris Gayle (3), who made a World Cup record 215 against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, and Marlon Samuels (0), before Tahir rolled through the middle and lower order.Only West Indies skipper Jason Holder provided any concerted resistance with the bat, scoring 56 in the futile chase as he struggled obviously with a leg injury.Earlier, de Villiers smashed 34 off one over from Holder as he lofted several big sixes to push the total past 400. The South African batsmen were relentless late in the innings. Holder took the most punishment, conceding 95 runs in his last five overs after starting with a respectable 1-9 from his first five.The South Africa innings wasn’t always so hectic.De Villiers combined with Rilee Rossouw (61) for a 134-run stand inside 13 overs after the South Africa innings took time to get settled, needing almost 15 overs to reach 50.South Africa’s batsmen began cautiously against some disciplined West Indies bowling, with Quinton de Kock finally teased into a poor shot to be caught for 12 off Holder in the sixth over. Hashim Amla and Francois du Plessis weathered the tight line to each score half centuries and add 127 for the second wicket before Gayle (2-21) dismissed them both within three balls in a rare highlight for the Caribbean team.Gayle removed du Plessis for 62, with wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin taking a sharp catch off the top edge. Two balls later Gayle had Amla trapped lbw for 65.De Villiers and Rossouw, selected ahead of J.P. Duminy, accelerated the scoring and were prolific in the batting power play, adding 72 in five overs as each brought up their half-centuries.Rossouw was eventually caught behind off Andre Russell (2-74), and Jerome Taylor took a spectacular one-handed catch on the boundary to dismiss David Miller for 20.It was another humbling defeat for the West Indies against the Proteas, following a lopsided series in South Africa in the build up to the World Cup.
