JOHANNESBURG, May 7: Captain Graeme Smith scored his second half-century of the match to guide South Africa to victory in the third and final Test against New Zealand on Sunday.

South Africa won by four wickets an hour after tea on the third day to wrap up a 2-0 series win, which took the hosts to fifth place on the International Cricket Council's ranking list, swapping positions with New Zealand.

South Africa, set 217 to win, reached 220 for six thanks to Ashwell Prince, who scored a composed 43 not out, and Shaun Pollock, who was six not out.

Smith scored 68 in South Africa's second innings to go with the 63 he made in the first as he top scored in both knocks.

New Zealand were dismissed for 283 in their second innings with fast bowler Dale Steyn taking four for 91.

Jacob Oram and Daniel Vettori had resumed for the visitors on 214 for six and taken their partnership to 49 before Oram was caught for 27.

Vettori and James Franklin shared 44 for the eighth wicket in a stand that ended when Franklin left a straightening delivery from Pollock and was bowled for 19.

Vettori, who hit eight fours in his 60, was ninth out when he slashed a drive off medium pacer Andrew Hall and was caught by A.B. de Villiers in the gully.

New Zealand lost their last three wickets for no runs in the space of six deliveries.

Smith and Boeta Dippenaar set the tone for South Africa's aggressive run chase with an opening partnership of 69.

The stand was ended in the 14th over when Dippenaar was caught behind by wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum for 37.

Smith was also caught behind 11 overs later when he tried to cut a delivery from Franklin and steered an edge to McCullum.

South Africa slipped to 156 for three in the fifth over before tea when Hashim Amla chose the wrong line to an away-swinger from medium pacer Kyle Mills and was bowled for 28.

Jacques Kallis was dismissed for 13 on the last ball before tea when a rising inswinger from Mills found the shoulder of the bat and looped to gully where Jamie How took the catch.

Franklin reduced South Africa to 180 for five in the third over after tea when he bowled de Villiers for five.

The home side dipped to 202 for six when Mark Boucher dragged a wide delivery from Franklin on to his stumps to be bowled for six, but Prince and Pollock held firm.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings) 119 (M. Ntini 5-35).

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 186 (G.C. Smith 63, H.M. Amla 56; C.S. Martin 5-37).

NEW ZEALAND (2nd Innings, overnight 214-6):

M.H.W. Papps c Hall b Kallis 15

J.M. How lbw b Steyn 4

S.P. Fleming c de Villiers b Kallis 37

S.B. Styris c and b Steyn 42

N.J. Astle c Boucher b Steyn 45

J.D.P. Oram c Dippenaar b Steyn 27

B.B. McCullum c Boucher b Pollock 5

D.L. Vettori c de Villiers b Hall 60

J.E.C. Franklin b Pollock 19

K.D. Mills not out 0

C.S. Martin c Amla b Hall 0

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-17, W-3, NB-4) 29

TOTAL (all out, 78.5 overs) 283

FALL OF WKTS: 1-9, 2-40, 3-82, 4-158, 5-177, 6-190, 7-239, 8-283, 9-283.

BOWLING: Steyn 22-3-91-4 (3nb, 1w); Ntini 17-4-44-0; Kallis 14-1-40-2 (1nb, 2w); Hall 12.5-1-50-2; Pollock 13-3-36-2.

SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings):

G.C. Smith c McCullum b Franklin 68

H.H. Dippenaar c McCullum b Martin 37

H.M. Amla b Mills 28

J.H. Kallis c How b Mills 13

A.G. Prince not out 43

A.B. de Villiers b Franklin 5

M.V. Boucher b Franklin 6

S.M. Pollock not out 6

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5, W-2, NB-3) 14

TOTAL (for six wkts, 47.3 overs) 220

FALL OF WKTS: 1-69, 2-130, 3-156, 4-167, 5-180, 6-202.

BOWLING: Martin 17-1-64-1 (2w); Franklin 13.3-0-67-3 (3nb); Mills 11-3-49-2; Oram 2-0-8-0; Styris 3-0-12-0; Vettori 1-0-11-0.

RESULT: South Africa won by four wickets.

UMPIRES: D.B. Hair (Australia) and E.A.R. de Silva (Sri Lanka).

TV UMPIRE: I.L. Howell (South Africa).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Graeme Smith.

MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Makhaya Ntini.

FIRST TEST: Centurion, South Africa won by 128 runs.

SECOND TEST: Cape Town, match drawn.—Reuters