PHOTOS: Dominant South Africa hand Ireland a sound thrashing

Photos from the ICC World Cup match played between South Africa and Ireland on Tuesday.

South African batsmen Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis scored big hundreds to help South Africa thrash Ireland by 201 runs in their pool B ODI cricket match of the ICC World Cup, in Canberra on Tuesday.

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South Africa record their second highest score in World Cup history after opener Amla laid the foundation with an attacking 128-ball 159 to power his team to a mammoth 411 for four  before Ireland were bowled out for 210 in 45 overs.

India's 413 for five against Bermuda in the 2007 edition remains the highest score.

Chasing the mammoth total, Ireland skipper William Porterfield started on a positive note, hitting a four off Dale Steyn's first over.

But Steyn came back in the next over to dismiss opener Paul Stirling for nine. The dismissal opened the floodgates.

First, Porterfield was caught at midwicket by du Plessis for 12 off Kyle Abbott. He was followed to the pavilion by Ed Joyce, who was caught out for a duck, off the bowling of Steyn.

Niall O'Brien scored a quick-fire 14 runs off nine deliveries (including 2 fours) before edging Abbot's delivery to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock. De Kock dove and got a glove on it and Hashim Amla at first slip did well to cradle it in his arms from the deflection.

Abbot then had Gary Wilson trapped for a duck before Andrew Balbirnie (58 off 71) and Kevin O'Brien (48 off 65) put some some resistance.

Ireland reached triple figures in the 23rd over when the first delivery from du Plessis went for five wides. Balbirnie then slammed successive fours off Morkel to reach his half-century off 66 balls. O'Brien then smashed Ireland's first six of the innings when he slogged du Plessis wide of mid-on.

Balbirnie departed in the 26th over after a well-made 58 when he pulls a short ball from Morkel straight to Rilee Rossouw at deep square leg.

Five overs later John Mooney dragged the ball back on to his stumps for eight off the bowling of AB de Villiers.

It all looked even bleaker for Ireland when Kevin O'Brien fells for 48, handing Abbott his fourth wicket.

Ireland lost their ninth wicket when Max Sorensen, who made a quickfire 22 off 19 deliveries, was caught behind by de Kock off Morkel.

South Africa wrapped up victory when George Dockrell (25) was bowled by Morkel.

Earlier, opting to bat after winning the toss, South Africa rode on Amla and Faf du Plessis's 109 off as many balls, setting the title contenders up for a massive total with their 247-run second-wicket partnership.

The Proteas smashed 110 runs in 8.3 overs with the fifth-wicket pair of David Miller and Rilee Rossouw going hammer and tongs in the death overs.

During their belligerent unbroken partnership, Rossouw found the fence six times and cleared it thrice in his 30-ball 61, while Miller hit four boundaries and two sixes in his 23-ball 46.

Skipper A B de Villiers missed out but still made 24 off just nine balls with two sixes and a four.

Spinner Andy McBrine, who was called for this match, was the most successful bowler for Ireland, returning figures of two for 63.

The Irish paid the price for dropping both Amla and du Plessis earlier in the innings, allowing the batsmen to set themselves up for a severe punishment.

Amla hit 16 fours and four sixes, while du Plessis struck 10 boundaries and a six.

The South Africans scored 230 in the last 20 overs.