ADELAIDE, Jan 27: Left-arm spinner Nicky Boje took four wickets as South Africa defeated triangular series leaders New Zealand by 93 runs Sunday.

The victory lifted South Africa to 13 points and second spot on the triangular series table, overtaking Australia (nine) but trailing New Zealand (17). Each side has two more matches before the best-of-three finals series starts on Feb 6 in Melbourne.

Jonty Rhodes (55) and wicket-keeper Mark Boucher, who hit a dazzling 57 not out from 32 balls, shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 86 from 45 balls as South Africa hit 253 for five from their 50 overs. The Proteas scored 111 runs from their last 10 overs.

Opener Herschelle Gibbs (89) shared partnerships of 65 for the second wicket with Jacques Kallis (30) and 63 for the fourth wicket with Rhodes, who became the third South African to reach 5,000 runs in One-day Internationals behind Gary Kirsten and Hansie Cronje.

Chasing 254 to win, New Zealand began badly, losing opener Nathan Astle (0), Lou Vincent (20), Brendon McCullum (29) and Craig McMillan (16) who was out to Boje at 102 for four.

Captain Stephen Fleming made 43 from 80 balls but lacked support, losing all-rounder Chris Cairns for nine at 130 for five as Boje grabbed the second of his four wickets for 31 runs.

Boje and Allan Donald (2-37) combined well as New Zealand lost their last six wickets for 30 runs.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA:

H.H. Gibbs b Cairns 89

G. Kirsten c Parore b Bond 0

J.H. Kallis c Parore b Cairns 30

N.D. McKenzie c Parore b Vettori 5

J.N. Rhodes c Fleming b Franklin 55

M.V. Boucher not out 57

S.M. Pollock not out 4

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-6, W-5) 13

TOTAL (for five wkts, 50 overs) 253

FALL OF WKTS: 1-9, 2-74, 3-93, 4-156, 5-242.

DID NOT BAT: J.L. Ontong, N. Boje, A.A. Donald, M. Ntini.

BOWLING: Franklin 10-0-39-1 (1w); Bond 10-0-47-1 (3w); Cairns 10-0-69-2; Vettori 10-0-34-1; Harris 10-0-56-0 (1w).

NEW ZEALAND:

B.B. McCullum lbw b Kallis 29

N.J. Astle c Boucher b Pollock 0

L. Vincent c Donald b Pollock 20

S.P. Fleming c Gibbs b Donald 43

C.D. McMillan c Ontong b Boje 16

C.L. Cairns c Rhodes b Boje 9

C.Z. Harris not out 9

A.C. Parore b Boje 7

D.L. Vettori c Ontong b Boje 0

J.E.C. Franklin lbw b Donald 2

S.E. Bond c Donald b Ntini 9

EXTRAS (B-3, LB-7, W-4, NB-2) 16

TOTAL (all out, 45.2 overs) 160

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-37, 3-59, 4-102, 5-130, 6-134, 7-145, 8-145, 9-148.

BOWLING: Pollock 8-0-24-2; Ntini 9.2-1-32-1 (1nb, 1w); Kallis 6-0-18-1 (2w); Donald 10-0-37-2 (1w); Boje 10-0-31-4; Ontong 2-0-8-0 (1nb).

RESULT: South Africa won by 93 runs.

UMPIRES: D.J. Harper and R.L. Parry.

TV UMPIRE: S.J. Davis.

MATCH REFEREE: Hanumant Singh.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mark Boucher.

NEXT MATCH: Australia v New Zealand, Melbourne (D/N), Tuesday

Standings

(Tabulate under played, won, lost, no result, tied, bonus points, points):

New Zealand 6 4 2 0 0 1 17

South Africa 6 3 3 0 0 1 13

Australia 6 2 4 0 0 1 9

—Reuters