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BANGALORE, India: Openers Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla struck half-centuries on Tuesday to guide South Africa to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Australia in a World Cup warmup match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Captain Smith smashed 65 and Amla made 60 as South Africa raced to its target of 218 in 44.2 overs, condemning three-time defending champion Australia to a second successive practice defeat before the World Cup.
Both Smith and Amla retired in a bid to give others batting practice. Jean-Paul Duminy was not out on 47 and AB de Villiers on 16, when the target was achieved.
Australia, which lost to India two days previously, was all out for 217 as pace bowler Dale Steyn and left-arm spinner Robin Peterson bagged three wickets apiece.
South Africa took control early in its innings, blunting the pace attack of Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson with some determined batting.
Smith, who later used his feet well against the spinners, decided to retire on 65 after smashing 10 fours off 81 balls.
Amla followed in similar fashion a little later with a neat 60 off 76 balls with seven fours.
''It is lovely to get some confidence ahead of the World Cup,'' Amla said. ''Australia is a very good team and it was good to play well against them. But then, this was just a practice game.''
With both openers retiring and number three batsman Faf de Plessis run out, Australian bowlers failed to take a single wicket in the match.
''We don't have any worries after these two defeats and the idea is to try players in these games,'' Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke said.
''We thought the pitch aided turn when we were batting second the other day and it firmed up with dew today to make it easy for South Africa to bat on,'' he added.
Earlier in the day, Steyn finished with 3-21 and Peterson took 3-45 as Australia was bowled out in 47.1 overs after electing to bat.
For Australia, Clarke top-scored with 73 and captain Ricky Ponting made 55.
Clarke and Ponting had helped their side recover from two early losses, but disciplined bowling and tight fielding from South Africa saw Australia slip from a comfortable 128-2 at one stage.
The spinners troubled the middle-order after Ponting and vice-captain Clarke were involved in a 122-run partnership for the third wicket.
Ponting, who had scored 57 in Australia's previous warmup game against India, hit seven fours off 84 balls.
The skipper, who has just recovered from a finger injury after missing the ODI rout of England, was caught by Amla at long-off off Peterson.
Clarke also fell to Peterson as he edged one to wicketkeepeer AB de Villiers while trying to play a cut shot. Clarke smashed six fours during his 96-ball knock.
Peterson then trapped Steven Smith lbw for nine to complete his haul. Steyn, who had Shane Watson lbw in the first over, bowled John Hastings and Jason Krejza towards the end.
In earlier practice matches, Australia lost to India by 38 runs here on Sunday, while South Africa beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets at Chennai on Saturday.
