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Herschelle Gibbs shrugged off indifferent form and controversy surrounding his appearance in India with a fluent 77 as South Africa posted a challenging 258 for 8 in the Champions Trophy semi-final against defending champions the West Indies in Jaipur on Thursday.

The 32-year-old batsman was also involved in a crucial 92-run partnership, off 108 balls, with A B de Villiers (46) that put the innings back on track after South Africa had lost their first three wickets with 96 runs on the board in the day-night encounter.

Gibbs anchored the innings before being dismissed in the last over by Dwayne Bravo (2-41). His 90-ball knock contained four fours and a six.

The West Indies, who beat South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-finals in 1998 and 2004, need to score at slightly more than five runs an over to win and set up a title clash with Australia, who beat New Zealand by 34 runs in the first semi-final in Mohali on Wednesday.

South Africa were off to a tentative start on an easy-paced wicket at the Sawai Mansingh stadium after electing to bat, but recovered with some quick scoring in the last 10 overs that fetched them 76 runs.

Openers Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman, brought in for Boeta Dippennar and playing his first match of the tournament, appeared to negotiate the new ball well before the South African skipper was sent back by a stinging Jerome Taylor in-swinger.

Smith, who hit three boundaries in his 19-run knock, could not do much, as the ball clipped his pads and hit the stumps after swinging in sharply.

The West Indies got another big wicket when Jacques Kallis, promoted up the order ahead of Gibbs, lost composure in the face of some disciplined bowling after scoring 16 off 38 balls, that was inclusive of three fours.

Dwayne Bravo, who replaced an ineffective Ian Bradshaw, teased Kallis into playing a good length ball that got the edge and was caught by an alert Ramnaresh Sarwan at third man.

Reduced to 65 for 2 by the 17th over, Bosman and Gibbs tried to stitch together a substantial partnership before the rookie opener was dismissed for a 58-ball 39 (6x4) by Marlon Samuels, who struck with the third ball of his first over.

The bowling change worked perfectly once again for the West Indies as Bosman, who was beginning to cut loose after the initial tentativeness, tried to flick the ball to the leg side but got a leading edge that was held by Chris Gayle at extra cover.

Bosman's dismissal served as a rude awakening for Gibbs, who shook off his poor form with some sensible batting.

Joining hands with A B de Villiers, he brought the innings back on track and also completed his 26th ODI 50 with a cover driven four, off 67 balls.

De Villiers though was unlucky, as he fell short of his 50 when he was run-out by a brilliant direct throw by West Indies skipper Brian Lara. His 46 came off 57 balls and contained three fours.

His dismissal triggered off a collapse of sorts as South Africa lost three more wickets in quick succession.

Justin Kemp (3) was sent back by Bradshaw and the in-form Mark Boucher (16) followed suit, reducing South Africa to 219 for 6 in the 46th over.

Boucher smashed the ball high into covers to Sarwan after hitting a six, the first of the innings, off the previous ball off Marlon Samuels.

Shaun Pollock (4) was also out in an attempt to go for a big one, being clean bowled by a straighter one from Taylor.