South Africa has won a battle of attrition against the West Indies, in their 2018 ICC Cricket World Cup encounter played at the Bay Oval on Wednesday

The purpose of the match was to set up a shootout with New Zealand on Saturday in order to decide the top spot in Group A.

West Indies won the toss and invited South Africa to take first use of the wicket at Blake Park.

West Indies bowlers grabbed their first wicket at the 56 runs mark and the dismissal of Jiveshan Pillay, for a call of obstruction due to a handled ball for 47, saw the momentum swing towards the Caribbean side.

The Windies bowlers put the brakes on their opponents attempts to hit out and they had just 118 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets, after 30 overs.

Keeper Wandile Makwetu kept the run rate turning over and went on to post his sides top score of 99 not out, at exactly a run a ball.

The South African lower order came to the party in the last ten overs to blast 122 runs, as the side from the African continent posted a solid target after reaching 282 for the loss of eight wickets.

The West Indies wickets were shared amongst five bowlers who took a wicket apiece, with outstanding work from the West Indies fielders resulting in two run-outs.

A solid West Indies start saw them up with the required run rate from the opening overs.

A middle order 90 run partnership from Alick Athanaize (76) and Kirstan Kallicharan (44), put their side firmly in contention.

The South African bowlers then roared back, to take the last four wickets for just six runs, with the Windies dismissed for 206, to give South Africa a 76 run victory. Hermann Rolfes did the majority of damage with the ball taking four wickets for 33 runs.

ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup @ Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

South Africa 282/8 (WK Makwetu 99, J Pillay 47, GW Coetzee 29, KT Smith 22, JP de Klerk 21) defeated West Indies 206 (AS Athanaze 76, KA Kallicharan 44; H Rolfes 4/33, GW Coetzee 2/21, JP de Klerk 2/40)