Aussies up the ante

Ricky Ponting described Australia's 83-run Group A win over South Africa as the "ideal start" to the favourites' World Cup campaign.

Ponting is refusing to get carried away just yet but is delighted to have Super Eight points in the bag at the expense of the world's top-rated one-day team.

"It's a big win for us. We've been saying how important it is and we are delighted to be taking those points and a pretty healthy run rate through with us as well," said Ponting, who contributed 91 to his team's mammoth total of 377 for six.

"It is an ideal start to the tournament. But that's all it is for us. We've been excited about this game and we've gone and played a really good game."

After easy victories over minnows Scotland and Holland, the Australians were soon in the ascendency against the Proteas thanks to the fastest hundred in the history of the tournament from Matthew Hayden (101).

South Africa's chase posed a significant threat while openers AB de Villiers (92) and Graeme Smith (74) were sharing a stand of 160 in only 21 overs. But after Shane Watson ran out De Villiers with a direct hit and Smith then had to retire hurt temporarily with cramp, Australia turned the screw.

South Africa captain Smith unsurprisingly identified his cramp problems and De Villiers' run-out as two crucial moments.

"It's the first time I've ever been through cramp like that," he said. "Having fielded 50 overs, moving people around you do get little bursts of cramp. But today was unusual, I've never had it as badly as that before.

"The turning point was when AB and I ended up being out at the same time. It was a terrific run-out. AB was really playing well at that point but then losing both of us at about that time made it a rough point for us.

"Even going into the 35th over we were right in there. But it was just too much to do in the end."