South Africa produced another superb performance to inflict Ireland’s first defeat at the ICC Cricket World Cup.

After choosing to bat first in Canberra they powered their way to 411-4 before restricting Ireland to 210 all out in 45 overs, giving the South Africans victory by a margin of 201 runs.

Andy Balbirnie had made his first ODI fifty in the Ireland innings, with the bowling honours going to Kyle Abbott, again making the most of the enforced injury absence of Vernon Philander, in taking 4-21.

Earlier, Hashim Amla and Francois du Plessis both scored hundreds in South Africa’s imperious display and they were backed by a punishing stand of 110 in only 8.3 overs by David Miller and Rilee Rossouw which concluded the innings.

Amla scored 159 and du Plessis made 109, sharing a partnership of 247 before Rossouw (61 not out from 30 balls) and Miller (46 not out from only 23) punished the tiring attack to take their total beyond 400 for the second match running.

Andy McBrine was the most impressive of the Irish bowlers and his figures of 2-63 supported that. The quicker bowlers suffered some real punishment though. Kevin O’Brien’s figures were 7-0-95-1 and Max Sorensen came only empty-handed with 6-0-76-0. The only other wicket-taker was John Mooney who had 1-52, also from only seven overs.

South Africa’s total overhauled their 408-5, made against West Indies last week and was just short of India’s World Cup record score of 413-5, made against Bermuda in the 2007 tournament.

Ed Joyce had spilled a difficult low chance when Amla had made only 10 but there were few other opportunities given by the right-hander as he brought up his 20th ODI century from exactly 100 balls.

By the time Joyce had gained some consolation by catching him in the deep Amla, who had played for Notts in 2010, had faced 128 balls and hit 16 fours and 4 big sixes in collecting a new personal best.

Du Plessis, who also has Trent Bridge history, having played a season of second eleven cricket for Notts in 2006, made his fourth hundred at this level, from 103 balls.

For once AB de Villiers departed cheaply, although 24 from 9 balls still gave him a strike rate of over 266.

Dayle Steyn, playing his 100th One Day International, made two early breakthroughs as Ireland began their reply, with Paul Stirling nicking behind and Ed Joyce edging to slip,

In between, William Porterfield had also departed after clipping Kyle Abbott to du Plessis at short midwicket.

On a day when Amla could do no wrong he picked up a second catch when Niall O’Brien’s edge off Abbott brushed ‘keeper Quinton de Kock’s glove and almost lodged in first slip’s clothing.

Abbott’s third victim was Gary Wilson, pinned lbw for 0 as the task became, at 48-5, one of saving face and avoiding total annihilation.

Preservation became a touch easier as Rossouw, du Plessis and Farhaan Behardien were all given a few gentle overs with the ball, enabling Balbirnie and Kevin O’Brien to take the total into three figures.

Balbirnie played a nice back-foot punch to the ropes off the returning Morne Morkel to bring up his 50 (66 balls 6x4).

The South African innings had featured 12 maximums and a loud roar greeted Ireland’s first as O’Brien lifted du Plessis over midwicket in the 25th over.

Morkel broke the sixth-wicket stand of 81 by having Balbirnie caught by Rossouw on the fence after making a career best score of 58 from 71 balls faced.

AB de Villiers gave himself a bowl and picked up a wicket with his second delivery as Mooney chopped onto his stumps.

Kevin O’Brien tried to clear the ropes for a second time but picked out Rossouw to fall for 48 off Abbott.

Both George Dockrell and Max Sorensen managed to lift Imran Tahir over the ropes with some delightful late defiance before Morkel removed them both to end with 3-34.

Both teams play their next match on Saturday as the competition for qualifying spots becomes tighter in Pool B

South Africa now occupy second place in the table, with 6 points from 4 matches, as they head to Auckland to face Pakistan.

Ireland’s defeat leaves them on 4 points from 3 matches and they next play against Zimbabwe, in Hobart.