CAPE TOWN, Jan 25: Captain Graeme Smith struck a timely half-century as South Africa recovered from a shaky start in the second One-day International against the West Indies at Newlands on Friday.

Electing to bat first, South Africa made 255 for nine after losing their first two wickets for 18 runs.

Smith, who top-scored with 86, shared stands of 91 with A.B. de Villiers (45) and 72 with Jean-Paul Duminy (68).

West Indian Jerome Taylor dismissed senior batsmen Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis as South Africa made a poor start.

Taylor finished with took four for 34 and bowled an excellent last over in which he conceded only one run while three wickets fell, including two run-outs.

After 11 overs from Taylor and Fidel Edwards the total was only 34 but the tempo lifted when Ravi Rampaul came on as the first change bowler.

De Villiers hit his first three balls for 4, 6, 4 and added another boundary as 18 runs were scored off the over.

De Villiers survived a confident appeal for a leg-side catch behind the wicket off Edwards and took 16 balls to score his first run. But he then batted fluently to make his 45 off 59 balls.

Smith struggled early on but went on to make his 86 off 107 balls with 11 fours before edging off-spinner Marlon Samuels to wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin.

The left-handed Duminy recorded his career’s third half-century and his second in successive games after being named man-of-the-match when South Africa won the opening clash in the five-match series by six wickets in Centurion on Sunday.

Duminy started slowly but blossomed to earn the applause of his home town crowd when he reached his half-century. He was run out in the final over when wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin hit the stumps after a mix-up with Morne Morkel.

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