South African opener Herschelle Gibbs smashed a superb century to lead his team to 316 for 5, against Kenya in the floodlight encounter at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo in the last league match of Pool 3 which helped the 1998 champs crush their Afrcian counterparts by 176 runs.

Earlier, Shaun Pollock, the South African skipper’s decision to bat first was vindicated as the opening pair of Gibbs and upcoming youngster Graeme Smith (69) put on more than hundred runs for the first wicket.

Gibbs (116 126b, 13x4, 3x6) began in an unusually slow manner. But with time spent at the crease and a mediocre Kenyan bowling to contend with, he shone brightly as he sent the hapless Kenyan bowlers to all corners of the park. Smith largely responsible for the exclusion of dependable opener Gary Kirsten too feasted on what was on offer from the Kenyans.

The Kenyans had to wait till the first ball of the 29th over for their first success. Smith giving David Obuya his first stumping of the evening.

Jimmy Kamande making his first appearance in this competition was hammered for 25 runs in his two overs. But the off-spinner had the last laugh as he had the centurion caught behind.

Jacques Kallis (60 53b, 5x4 1x6) struck a quick-fire fifty while Boeta Dippenaar contributed 31 at more than a run-a-ball. Hard-hitting all-rounder Lance Klusener belted 18 off just 12 balls to put the Proteas in an impregnable position at the break of innings.

After batting the Kenyans out of the game, the South African bowling attack only compounded the agony of their opponents. An attack even without Alan Donald was too much for one of the lesser-experienced sides in cricket as they were dismissed for 140 in the 47th over.

No batsman apart from their skipper Steve Tikolo (69 87b, 10x4) took the challenge to the opposition. The next best was opener Kennedy Otieno with a scratchy 16 which consumed 53 deliveries.

As many as seven South African bowlers flexed their bowling muscles while Justin Ontong's (3 for 30) mixture of leg and off-spin being the most rewarding.

Gibbs, who took a wonderfully athletic catch to dismiss all-rounder Thomas Odoyo, was named the Man-of-the-Match.

They have now become the third team to enter the semi-finals and await the winners of the England-India tie on Sunday.

Statistical Highlights:
---By Daniel Puran Singh

• This was the seventh ODI between the two African nations.
• South African batsman Dale Benkenstein was playing his first ODI after his previous match way back in 2000 hence missing 69 games since.
• Graeme Smith (69) playing his ninth ODI made his third fifty plus score at this level.
• The first wicket partnership of 159 between South African openers Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs bettered the previous best of 115 held by Boeta Dippenaar and Gibbs in last year's tri-series at home.
• Gibbs' 116 which is his eighth hundred in 103 ODIs and his first against Kenya is the 46th three-figure individual score for the South Africans. On the other hand Kenya conceded their 16th ton.
• The 60 by Jacques Kallis in this match gave him his 38th half-century in ODIs.
• David Obuya, the Kenyan wicket-keeper had three South African batsman stumped to present the tenth such instance in ODIs. He is the seventh stumper to achieve this feat.
• Kenyan skipper Steve Tikolo registered his second fifty in successive matches, which is also his 12th in ODIs. Just for the record he is the only Kenyan to play in all of Kenya's 49 ODIs so far.
• Winning by a 176-run margin South Africa registered their third biggest win against the Kenyans. The 208-run victory at Cape Town last year is the best for the Proteas against Kenya.
• South Africa registered their 163rd win in ODIs and their seventh versus their African rivals.
• Gibbs by winning the Man-of-the-Match award extended his tally to 9 and 2 versus Kenya.