Australia's Matthew Hayden hits a six to bring up his century against South Africa during their World Cup match in Basseterre yesterday. Hayden's 66-ball ton was the fastest in Cup history. - Reuters

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (AP):

MATTHEW HAYDEN'S fastest World Cup century and three wickets by Brad Hogg led defending champions Australia over top-ranked South Africa by 83 runs yesterday in a key match that decided top place in Group A.

Australia scored 377 for six for the third-highest World Cup total and then bowled out South Africa for 294 in the 48th over to take the two competition points through to the Super Eight stage.

Australia now take on the West Indies, undefeated leaders in Group D, in Antigua on Tuesday.Hayden belted four sixes and 14 fours in his 101, taking only 66 balls to reach triple figures and break John Davison's record - the Australian-born Canadian hit a 67-ball hundred against the West Indies in 2003.

Ricky Ponting blasted 91 and Michael Clarke clubbed 92.

Only India with 413 for five (versus Bermuda at this tournament) and Sri Lanka with 398 for five (against Kenya in 1996) have scored more at the quadrennial tournament.

The match produced 671 runs - the highest aggregate in a World Cup match.

Hogg took 3-61 off 10 overs, and Shaun Tait and Nathan Bracken took two wickets each, as South Africa lost their last nine wickets for 74 runs after being 220 for one in the 32nd over.

"I thought Hogg and Tait through the middle were very good for us, and once we got a bit of a sniff we were all over them and went in for the kill," Ponting said.

Superior fielding

Australia's superior fielding also made the difference. Shane Watson's direct hit from the outfield ran out A.B. de Villiers (92) to break the 160-run opening stand, while Adam Gilchrist's sharp stumping removed dangerman Herschelle Gibbs (17).

Conversely, Ponting was dropped on one and 41, while Clarke was dropped on eight and 56 only the last catch was straight forward. But the Proteas twice had chances to run out Clarke, on two and 12.

"We waited for something special from someone in the field, which is what happened by Shane Watson's run-out," Ponting said. "It probably changed the course of the game as much as anything else."

South Africa captain Graeme Smith said: "Credit to Australia, they played well, obviously we would have liked to have won.

"We probably let them get 20 runs too many and we left ourselves too much to do batting in the last 10 overs."

Smith won the toss at Warner Park and sent Australia in to bat. He may have regretted that decision when Hayden and Gilchrist brought up the 50 in just under five overs.

But Gilchrist (42) guided a slower ball from Charl Langeveldt to Gibbs at cover-point in the 15th over and Australia were 106 for one.

Ponting, who hit a record 26th World Cup six to move ahead of Indian batsman Saurav Ganguly, also became the seventh batsman to reach 10,000 ODI runs.

Soon after belting a straight six to break Davison's record, Hayden was caught by Gibbs at point off a long-hop by Jacques Kallis to end a 61-run stand with Ponting.

In South Africa's reply, de Villiers hit three consecutive fours in Glenn McGrath's first over to bring up the 50 off 5.3 overs - just four balls slower than Australia's frantic start.

The Proteas were keeping pace: the 100 came up off 13.1 overs - two balls faster than Australia's 100.

The 160-run partnership was broken in the 21st over when Watson's direct hit from backward square-leg caught de Villiers out of his ground. De Villiers had hit 14 fours and two sixes from 70 balls.

Five overs later, Smith retired hurt on 72 form 66 balls due to severe cramp with South Africa on 184.

The 200 came up in 28.2 overs - eight balls faster than Australia and with one less wicket lost.

Tait's first five overs cost 38 runs but his next two only four, while Watson's first four went for 36 and his next three only 10 as the two bowlers slowed the run-rate from overs 27-31.

Next over, Gibbs was beaten by Hogg's wrong 'un to be stumped by Gilchrist. Five balls later, Prince (one) was caught hooking by Hayden at deep square-leg off McGrath and South Africa were 223 for three.

Tait took two wickets - bowling Mark Boucher (22) and trapping Justin Kemp (1) lbw - to bring Smith back to the pitch with South Africa 264 for five in the 40th over.

But Smith (74) tried to smash Hogg in the next over and the skied chance was caught by Gilchrist.

Watson and Bracken then cleaned up the tail to ensure that South Africa's Super Eight game against Sri Lanka in Guyana on Wednesday is a critical one for the ICC's top-ranked limited-overs team.