Inexperienced West Indies received a fiery baptism yesterday as South Africa crushed them by 188 runs in their first official ICC Champions Trophy, warm-up match at Senwes Park.

Winning the toss and batting, the Proteas piled up an intimidating 388 for four off their allotted 50 overs before returning to undermine the understrength Windies for 200 off 41.1 overs.

Jacques Kallis (86), Graeme Smith (83), J.P. Duminy (80 not out) and Mark Boucher (55) all pummeled half-centuries as West Indies bowlers came under fire from early.

None were spared, but medium pacer David Bernard Jr grabbed two for 71 from his 10 overs, while fast bowler Tino Best snared two for 88 from his allotment to emerge from the carnage as the best bowlers for the tourists.

West Indies were given a flying start of 80 off 77 balls by Dale Richards (41) and André Fletcher (35), but they lost five wickets for 25 runs in the space of 46 balls, to slip to 105 for five and send the innings into terminal decline.

Only Darren Sammy, with a fine 52 from 61 balls, showed any fight down the order as left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe undermined the innings with four for 34.

BRIEFLY RAISE HOPES

Richards slammed seven fours in a knock that lasted 42 balls, while Fletcher stroked six fours off 40 balls, to briefly raise the Windies' hopes of an upset.

The duo showed little respect for the opening pair of Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell and had gathered 25 runs from the first three overs sent down. Fast bowler Albie Morkel eventually got the breakthrough when he bowled Fletcher in the 13th over to spark a Windies collapse.

With just five runs added from 16 balls, Richards was bowled by Kallis in the 16th over and the left-handed Devon Smith then dithered for 27 balls over 17 runs before being trapped lbw by van der Merwe.

Four balls later at 105, van der Merwe bowled Travis Dowlin for five and with no run added, captain Floyd Reifer departed for one, lbw to off-spinner Johan Botha.

South Africa were then frustrated by two partnerships as Sammy, who struck six fours and two sixes, shared 35 for the sixth wicket with Bernard (11), and a further 47 for the seventh wicket with Royston Crandon (13).

When Sammy was bowled by van der Merwe at 187 for seven in the 38th, the resistance ended meekly.

SCOREBOARD

SOUTH AFRICA (Maximum 50 overs)

H Gibbs ret. hurt 38

*G Smith c Miller b Bernard 83
J Kallis b Best 86
AB de Villiers c Fletcher b Bernard 16
JP Duminy not out 80
+M Boucher c Richards b Best 55
A Morkel not out 5
Extras: (b4, lb3, w14, nb4) 25
TOTAL: (4 wkts, 50 overs) 388

Did not bat: J Botha, R van der Merwe, D Steyn, W Parnell.

Fall of wickets: 1-194 (Smith, 28.2 overs), 2-230 (de Villiers, 34.2), 3-255 (Kallis, 38.1), 4-371 (Boucher, 47.2).

Bowling: Best 10-0-88-2, Roach 4-0-29-0, Bernard 10-0-71-2, Sammy 10-1-76-0, Miller 10-0-65-0, Crandon 6-0-52-0.

WEST INDIES (target: 389 off 50 overs)

D Richards b Kallis 41
+A Fletcher b Morkel 35
D Smith lbw b van der Merwe 17
T Dowlin b van der Merwe 5
*F Reifer lbw b Botha 1
D Bernard c wkp Boucher b Steyn 11
D Sammy b van der Merwe 52
R Crandon c van der Merwe b Duminy 13

N Miller not out 10

T Best c sub (Peterson) b van der Merwe 3

K Roach absent hurt 0 Extras: (b4, lb3, w5) 12
TOTAL: (all out, 41.1 overs) 200

Fall of wickets: 1-80 (Fletcher, 12.5 overs), 2-85 (Richards, 15.3), 3-104 (Smith, 19.1), 4-105 (Dowlin, 19.5), 5-105 (Reifer, 20.3), 6-140 (Bernard, 28.1), 7-187 (Sammy, 37.5), 8-193 (Crandon, 38.4), 9-200 (Best, 41.1).

Bowling: 6-1-29-1, Parnell 6-0-23-0, Morkel 7-0-48-1, Kallis 4-1-14-1, Botha 6-1-23-1, van der Merwe 9.1-0-34-4, Duminy 3-0-22-1.

Toss: South Africa.

Result: South Africa won by 188 runs.

Umpires: I Gould, A Hill.