Johannesburg: India failed to do justice to their No. 1 tag in ODI cricket as they suffered massive defeat at the hands of the Proteas, as the hosts went on to beat Team India by 141 runs in the first one day international taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series here on Thursday.
Put in to bat by Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Proteas were off to a dream start as Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock added 152 runs for the first wicket. Thearefater, the Saouth Africans made merry with the bat and hammered the Indian bowlers to score 358 for four in the allotted 50 overs.
Thereafter, their pace attack came out all guns blazing to bowl out the visitors for 217 in 41 overs.
Except for skipper Dhoni, who scored 65 off 71 balls (8x4, 1x6), most of the top-order batsmen found it difficult to counter the pace of Dale Steyn (3/25 from 8 overs) and bounce generated by Morne Morkel (1/29 from 8 overs). Ryan McLaren was also quite successful as he too 3 for 49 from 8 overs).
Earlier, the trio of Quinton de Kock (135), AB De Villiers (77) and JP Duminy (59 no) sent Indian bowlers on leatherhunt, hitting them all around the park.