Captain Graeme Smith just missed out his first World Cup century but still led South Africa to a seven-wicket win over Scotland and into the World Cup Super Eights on Tuesday. Left-handed opener Smith smashed an attractive 65-ball 91 as the world number-one team made short shrift of Scotland.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith insists he won’t be rattled by the Australian verbal barrage which will surely come his way when the two bitter rivals meet on Saturday. The winner will not only take a vital two extra points into the Super Eights but also a huge psychological edge over a fellow favourite for the title.

Herschelle Gibbs became the first man to hit six sixes in an over in a one-day international and Jacques Kallis smashed an unbeaten century as South Africa inflicted a 221-run World Cup defeat on The Netherlands in St Kitts and Nevis on Friday. Gibbs hit a robust 40-ball 72 coupled with Kallis’s unbeaten 128.

South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher on Thursday said he was ready to stand up on the slow West Indian pitches during the World Cup. ”I think standing up is something that all keepers expect when they come to the West Indies because these are like the subcontinent conditions when you have to do that sort of thing,” Boucher said.