Amla ton sets up series victory

Hashim Amla struck 140 from 135 balls, including eight fours and four sixes

Buy this photo

Hashim Amla struck his maiden one-day international century as South Africa stormed to a 128-run victory over Bangladesh to claim an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match one-day international series.

Amla made 140 from 135 balls, including eight fours and four sixes, to help the Proteas register an intimidating score of 358 for four from their 50 overs after returning captain Graeme Smith chose to bat first.

Dale Steyn and Johan Botha claimed three wickets apiece as the tourists were all out for 230, four balls short of the 50-over quota.

Amla shared an opening stand of 136 with Smith (65) before AB de Villiers (57 not out) and Albie Morkel (37no) took the Bangladesh attack to the cleaners late in the innings. Jacques Kallis also chipped in with 49.

Mashrafe Mortaza was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 1-54, which gives an indication of the punishment Bangladesh took.

Smith, who had recovered from an elbow injury, was the first to go when he was caught in the covers by Mohammad Ashraful off Naeem Islam.

But Amla and Kallis added another century stand before the all-rounder was bowled by Abdur Razzak.

Amla was eventually caught at midwicket by Syed Rasel off Mortaza.

The dismissals of Amla and Mark Boucher, who made just six before being sent packing by Rasel, offered little respite to Bangladesh as de Villiers and Morkel bludgeoned seven sixes between them to put South Africa in a commanding position.

In reply Junaid Siddique and opener Tamim Iqbal were the only Bangladesh top-order batsmen to offer any resistance with knocks of 47 and 41 respectively.

Dale Steyn claimed three wickets to oust Bangladesh

Buy this photo

Mortaza added a quickfire 34 from 22 balls towards the end of the innings but it was not enough to prevent the home team falling well short.

The Bangladesh response had started promisingly with Iqbal's 41 coming off just 22 deliveries before he became Steyn's first victim with the last ball of the fifth over, caught at square-leg by Jean-Paul Duminy.

His fellow opener Imrul Kayes was next to head back to the pavilion, bowled between bat and pad by Johan Botha for 14.

Captain Ashraful contributed just five to the cause before being caught and bowled by Botha and Raqibul Hasan was then run-out by Morne Morkel to leave Bangladesh on 127 for four in the 27th over.

Siddique's innings came to an end shortly after that when he was trapped lbw playing forward to become Botha's third scalp.

Three wickets then fell in quick succession as any hopes Bangladesh had of getting back into the match disappeared.

Shakib Al Hasan was bowled off an inside edge by Steyn for 17, Islam was caught by Kallis at slip also off the same bowler for 16 and Mushfiqur Rahim found Albie Morkel at third man off brother Morne for two as the hosts stuttered from 169 for five to 172 for eight.

Mortaza stuck around for a little while for his 34 before Johann Louw had him caught at mid-off by Smith, and when Albie Morkel had Rasel snapped up behind the stumps by Boucher for one it was all over. Razzak was left unbeaten on 20.

The third and final match of the series takes place at East London on Wednesday before the first of two Tests gets under way in Bloemfontein on November 19.