WC Warm-ups: Aus lose again, SL destroy Windies

Half centuries by the South African openers set up a surprisingly easy seven-wicket victory over Australia on Tuesday in a World Cup warm-up match giving the holders' skipper Ricky Ponting much food for thought.

Chasing a modest 218 for victory, South Africa's captain Graeme Smith (65 retired) and Hashim Amla (60 retired) survived a barrage of leg before and caught behind appeals by Brett Lee and Shaun Tait early on before settling down to put on 131 runs.

Smith then retired undefeated followed by Amla to give their team mates some batting practice and JP Duminy (47 not out) duly anchored the innings to take his team home inside 45 overs.

Australia made 217 all out with Ponting (55) and Michael Clarke (73) top scoring.

Ahmed Shehzad and Misbah-ul-Haq helped to put Pakistan's recent troubles behind them as the duo hit centuries to steer their team to a morale-boosting 89-run victory over Bangladesh in a World Cup warm up match on Tuesday.

The win would have helped to put the players in the right frame of mind for the Feb 19-April 2 tournament after their recent on-field exploits were overshadowed by the ban handed to three former team mates for spot-fixing.

Pakistan scored 285 for nine in their 50 overs before skittling out Bangladesh 196 in the 42nd over, with the hosts losing their last three wickets for the addition of just two runs.

Bangladesh were put on the back foot from the start as they lost opener Tamim Iqbal when Abdul Razzaq knocked over his bails with the very first delivery.

Shehzad made the most of benefitting from two dropped catches to hit 103 from 122 balls with a six and nine boundaries while Misbah smashed a 100-ball century with four sixes and eight fours.

Suhrawadi Shuvo and Abdur Razzak dropped Shehzad while he was on 42 and 56 respectively, which allowed the match to swing Pakistan's way.

"I am not disappointed with the (dropped) catch by Razzak as he has never been our best fielder but the other catches which went down were disappointing," said Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons.

Pakistan play their first World Cup Group A match against unfancied Kenya on Febraury 23 in Hambantota.

Bangladesh meet fellow co-hosts India in Group B in the opening match of the tournament on Febraury 19 in Dhaka.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera stroked impressive half centuries to propel Sri Lanka to a four-wicket victory over West Indies in a World Cup warm-up match on Tuesday.

Dilshan belted 62 off 50 balls, including five fours and three sixes, while Samaraweera also punished the West Indian bowlers by flaying the ball to all corners of the ground as he notched up 55 off 56 balls.

Captain Sangakkara top scored with a more sedate 71 off 89 balls, including three fours and a six, as Sri Lanka chased down the target to win with 15 balls to spare. The tourists were all out for 281.

After opener Devon Smith was bowled for a duck by Lasith Malinga in the first over, Chris Gayle (58) and Darren Bravo (54) steadied the innings with an 85-run partnership for the second wicket.

Gayle was particulary agressive and made the most of his dropped chance on 27. He smashed 58 off just 38 balls, with eight fours and a six, before Muttiah Muralitharan finally bowled him.

However, Gayle's effort turned out to be in vain as West Indies failed to build on his contribution by losing regular wickets.

Malinga and Rangana Herath were the pick of the bowlers with three wickets apiece.