There were wickets for Merv Dillon, Vasbert Drakes and Carl Hooper as Shaun Pollock’s side slipped to 61 for three before a moderate recovery left them 98 for three at the mid-way point of the innings.

Still needing 141 runs from 24 overs – South Africa were docked one over by match referee Ranjan Madugalle during the luncheon interval for a slow over rate – Jonty Rhodes was unbeaten on 23 from 25 balls with Boeta Dippenaar on 15 from 38 deliveries.

Dillon struck first in the third over of the innings, cleaning bowling the inform Herschelle Gibbs who had scored a century during their only warm-up game against New Zealand on Wednesday.

Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis then batted on without great alarm, adding 37 in 48 balls against Dillon and left-arm fast bowler Pedro Collins.

But after ten overs West Indies made a double change, introducing off-spinner Hooper and fast bowler Drakes.

Hooper nearly claimed a wicket in his first over as Ridley Jacobs grassed a straightforward chance off Smith, who was trying to force through the off-side.

They didn’t have to wait too long, however, for the second wicket as Drakes, playing his first international game for seven years, broke through with his sixth ball as Kallis edged a short delivery to Jacobs behind the stumps.

4.2 overs later Smith was also sent back to the pavilion. Trying to use his feet he was moved too early and Hooper slipped in a quick delivery. Off balance, he edged behind and Jacobs made amends for his early miss with a sharp catch down the leg-side.

After the fall of Smith Jonty Rhodes and Boeta Dippenaar responded positively, as Drakes dropped short.

And when leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo was introduced into the attack Rhodes grabbed the upper hand with two boundaries in his first over.

None of their batsmen passed fifty despite all of the top five scoring 21 or more. Chris Gayle top scored with 49 with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (45) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (36) also making useful contributions.

South Africa will not be overly disappointed with their target having failed to make the expected inroads in the morning after winning the toss and electing to field first. The pitch looks ideal for batting with consistent bounce and pace.

West Indies looked set for a score in excess of 250 mid-way through innings, but the dismissal of Brian Lara in the 27th over checked their momentum.

Left-arm spinner Nicky Boje enticed the left-handed Lara down the pitch to be well caught by Alan Donald running to his left at long off. Lara had scored 21 from 33 balls

Captain Carl Hooper was positive from the start, using his feet to Boje and lofting a huge straight six over long on.

However, Lance Klusner and Boje proved economical, as West Indies scored just 31 runs between the 20th and 30th over of the innings.

And when Hooper and Chanderpaul started to look more comfortable, Shaun Pollock quickly changed the bowling, bringing himself back on to bowl in tandem with his opening partner Alan Dawson.

The change worked. Shortly after West Indies passed the 150 mark, they lost two quick wickets, handing the initiative back to the South Africans.

Pollock was the pick of the bowlers, conceding just 35 runs in his 10 overs. Donald was also impressive claiming two for 44 from eight overs. Dawson claimed the wicket of Chanderpaul as the left-hander mistimed an ugly drive, providing a simple catch to Boeta Dippenaar at mid-off.

Chanderpaul, running poorly between the wickets throughout his innings, had scored a pedestrian 45 from 98 balls, hitting five boundaries.

Three balls later Hooper was trapped lbw for 27 by Pollock, umpire Venkat quickly raising his finger without recourse to the television umpire.

West Indies were left 153 for four in the 37th over with two new batsman at the wicket, forcing consolidation at a time when they should have been accelerating.

But Ramnaresh Sarwan and Wavell Hinds - enjoying the calming reggae beats drifting across the ground from the Caltex stand - rotated the strike well, adding 38 in 45 deliveries.

Donald then claimed his 250th one-day wicket in his 148th game as Hinds skied a catch into the deep having made 12 from 17 balls.

West Indies brought up the 200 in the 46th over from Dawson, an expensive over that cost 15 runs including a straight six from Sarwan and powerful lofted cover drive from Ridley Jacobs.

But Sarwan was clean bowled shortly afterwards by Kallis and despite a punchy 25 in 21 balls from Jacobs, West Indies fell away in the final overs.

Shaun Pollock and new ball partner Alan Dawson troubled the West Indian openers, frequently beating the bat, but grew increasingly frustrated as the first wicket proved elusive.

They did eventually take a wicket in the 15th over, but could make no further inroads. After 25 overs West Indies were 103 for one, looking set for a score in excess of 250

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who played in limpet-like fashion during the early overs, was unbeaten on 25 from 65 balls having hit only three boundaries.

Brian Lara, still struggling with his fitness after the ebow injury sustained in Sri Lankan last December, had made 20 from 31 balls, also with three boundaries.

During the early overs opener Chris Gayle played and missed repeatedly, especially to Shaun Pollock who slid the ball across the left-hander.

But in the tenth over of the innings Gayle threw caution to the wind, crashing Alan Dawson for a straight six and then carving through the off-side for four.

Barely moving his feet, he then started to middle the ball. His confidence grew and the introduction of Alan Donald precipitated a flurry of boundaries, Gayle scoring 14 from the 35-year-old’s first over.

But, as Gayle approached his 13th one-day fifty, Donald gained his revenge as the left-hander aimed an ambitious drive through the off-side and was caught behind off an inside edge.

Gayle had scored 49 from 55 balls, adding 63 for the first wicket with Chanderpaul.

Lara joined Chanderpaul and immediately looked at ease, cutting Donald for one glorious four and then thrashing Jacques Kallis through the extra cover.

The pair brought up the 100 in the 24th over.

Pollock was the pick of the South Africa bowlers, desperately unfortunate not to have picked up a wicket during a six over spell that cost 20 runs.

Dawson, 32, who is playing in his fifth ODI, conceded 21 runs in his six overs. He conceded just five runs in his first four overs before Gayle went on the offensive.

Donald and Kallis then bowled five over spells before Pollock introduced the left-arm spin of Nicky Boje and off-cutters of Lance Klusner.

After the riotous scenes of the opening day-night game, when Sri Lanka put one and a half feet in the semi-finals, this match looks set to be played out in front of empty stands. But despite the low-key atmosphere, the match remains a virtual knockout with Kenya being the third side in the group.

West Indies have recalled all-rounder Vasbert Drakes after a seven year absence. The 33-year-old, who has played first-class cricket in South Africa and England, comes back after a recent change to the West Indies Cricket Board’s selection criteria.

All-rounder Ryan Hinds, Runako Morton and Corey Colleymore were all left out of their 14-man squad.

South Africa left out fast bowler Makhaya Ntini, all-rounder Justin Ontong and Dale Benkenstein, meaning a total of four changes from the side that lost the Morocco Cup 2002 final to Sri Lanka.

Pollock’s side will be looking to exploit the early moisture usually found in the Sinhalese Sports Club pitch. However, with the sun burning hot, they will need to make early breakthroughs if the plan is not going to backfire on one of Sri Lanka’s finest batting strips.

South Africa

Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith, Boeta Dippenaar, Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Mark Boucher (wk), Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock (capt), Nicky Boje, Alan Dawson, Allan Donald.

West Indies

Chris Gayle, Brian Lara, Wavell Hinds, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Carl Hooper (capt), Ridley Jacobs (wk), Vasbert Drakes, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Pedro Collins, Merv Dillon.