BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa, Feb 5 (AFP) - South African captain Hansie Cronje, unhindered by a groin injury which had left him as a doubtful starter, hit a superb 82 off just 79 balls on Friday as his side cruised to a crushing 114-run victory over the West Indies in their sixth limited overs international.

The South Africans, who had elected to bat, scored 273 off 49,5 overs and then bundled the West Indies out for 159 in 40,3 overs to take a 5-1 lead in the seven match series.

It was another woeful display by the tourists, redeemed only by a ninth-wicket partnership of 30 between Curtly Ambrose and Rawl Lewis and another of 47 for the last wicket between Lewis and Reon King.

Last-man-out Lewis was unfortunate to miss out on a maiden 50 when he was bowled by Kallis for 49, but he was helped by some very friendly bowling when Cronje decided to ease the pressure in the interests of the 15,000 strong crowd.

Prior to that the fans had only looked interested while Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Junior Murray were putting on an opening partnership of 40. Shaun Pollock got rid of both and the rest simply rolled over.

Victor Mpitsang, an 18-year-old black cricket development product, made his debut for South Africa Friday and did not disappoint, dismissing Nixon McLean and Daren Ganga with successive deliveries.

At 18 years and 314 days Mpitsang is now the youngest player to have represented his country internationally and was only denied his hat-trick by Carl Hooper, but will long remember an opening seven-over spell of 2-49.

Pollock too missed his hat-trick after dismissing Murray and Keith Arthurton with successive deliveries, but between them Pollock and Mpitsang reduced the innings from 40 without loss to 54-5 in the space of 14 deliveries.

Earlier Cronje, who had to pass a fitness test in the morning, showed no signs of the groin injury which nearly prevented him from playing as he raced to his third 50, including three fours and two sixes, of the series off 53 balls. It was his 33rd half-century in 151 matches.

Bloemfontein's biggest export since Olympics contender Zola Budd hung up her running shoes, Cronje also featured in a sixth-wicket partnership of 94 off 90 balls with Dale Benkenstein, who maintained his good form after scoring his first one day international half-century in the last match, htting a solid 33.

The West Indies, who had been holding their own up until then, were simply blasted off the field.

The tourists are turning out to be their own worst enemies and Friday was no exception. Cronje, with just three to his name, offered a possible stumping chance to Ridley Jacobs but the keeper was unable to hold onto the ball.

A very costly lapse and a Cronje promptly celebrated by cracking Arthurton for six, two, six.

And with only Gary Kirsten of South Africa's top order once again failing the score kept mounting at a steady pace.

Kirsten's wretched run of form continued when he edged a Reon King delivery into his stumps after having batted for 26 minutes.

His opening partner Mike Rindel was in far better shape - cracking five boundaries in a brisk 27 before being clean-bowled by Hooper in attempting one big hit too many.

A soft dismissal and there were quite a few more as the South Africans went in search of quick runs. As a result for the first time in the series the West Indian spinners were a lot more successful than their feared pacemen.

While Curtly Ambrose conceded 60 runs off eight overs without taking a wicket, part-timer Arthurton finished up with 4-44 from 6.5 overs and Hooper with 3-34 from his allotted 10.