DURBAN, South Africa (AFP) – Half-centuries by Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and David Miller enabled South Africa to score 279 for eight before a storm halted play with 1.5 overs remaining in their innings in the first one-day international against the West Indies at Kingsmead on Friday.

South Africa were rocked by two early wickets and were pegged back towards the end of the innings but runs flowed freely in between as De Villiers shared partnerships of 99 with Amla and 123 with Miller, both at slightly better than a run a ball.

Amla and De Villiers, South Africa’s champion batting pair, came together with the total 16 for two in the fifth over and the runs soon started to flow.

Amla reached 5000 one-day international runs in his 104th match – fewer than any other batsman – when he went past 54.

He hurried to 66 off 66 balls before he was run out attempting a second run to deep point, failing to beat a superb throw from Andre Russell.

The left-handed Miller made 70 off 68 balls before his dismissal, with the total on 238 in the 40thh over, sparked a collapse.

De Villiers followed soon afterwards after making a relatively restrained 81 off 94 balls and run-scoring slowed as wickets fell.

From the fall of Miller’s wicket, only 41 runs were scored in 9.1 overs while four more wickets fell.

The first two wickets fell to full-length deliveries from fast bowler Jerome Taylor.

Rilee Rossouw was bowled by a ball which swung in to the left-hander and straightened off the pitch and Faf du Plessis was trapped leg before wicket, both batsmen falling for nought.

The West Indies were well behind the required over rate when a storm hit the ground, bringing heavy rain. It seemed unlikely to stop in time for South Africa’s innings to be completed.