DURBAN: AB de Villiers hit a rapid 64 which provided the momentum for South Africa to gain a series-clinching 62-run win in the third and final one-day international against New Zealand on Kingsmead on Wednesday.

The win enabled South Africa to leapfrog New Zealand into third place in the world one-day rankings, behind Australia and India.

It also provided a measure of revenge for their heartbreaking defeat to the Kiwis in the World Cup semi-final earlier this year. New Zealand were bowled out for 221 in reply.

New Zealand lost key batsman Martin Guptill early, caught behind off Dale Steyn, but a partnership of 84 off 118 balls between Tom Latham and captain Kane Williamson kept them in contention.

Both batsmen, however, were dismissed in the space of 15 deliveries.

Williamson was bowled for 39 when he charged down the pitch and missed a straight ball from leg-spinner Imran Tahir.

Latham completed his third successive half-century but was run out for 54 by a direct hit from backward square leg by David Miller.

With the required run rate climbing, New Zealand lost wickets at regular intervals. Medium-pacer David Wiese took three for 58.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA:

M. van Wyk c Latham b Elliott58 H. Amla c and b Elliott44 R. Rossouw c Latham b Wheeler6 A. de Villiers b Bracewell64 D. Miller c Ronchi b Milne36 F. Behardien c Williamson b Wheeler40 D. Wiese c Sodhi b Wheeler12 K Abbott not out3

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-3, W-13)20

TOTAL (7 wkts, 50 overs)283

FALL OF WKTS: 1-89 (Amla), 2-96 (Rossouw), 3-134 (Van Wyk), 4-221 (De Villiers), 5-232 (Miller), 6-258 (Wiese), 7-283 (Behardien).

BOWLING: Wheeler 10-0-71-3 (4w), Milne 10-1-44-1, Bracewell 10-1-54-1 (3w), Sodhi8-0-55-0 (1w), Elliott 10-0-41-2 (2w), Munro 2-0-11-0

DID NOT BAT: D. Steyn, K Rabada, Imran Tahir.

NEW ZEALAND:

M. Guptill c Van Wyk b Steyn10 T. Latham run out (Miller)54 K. Williamson b Imran Tahir39 G. Worker b Wiese21 G. Elliott c Rabada b Wiese20 C. Munro b Wiese35 L. Ronchi c Amla b Rabada1 D. Bracewell c Amla b Imran Tahir13 A. Milne c Miller b Rabada4 B. Wheeler not out13 I. Sodhi c Rossouw b Abbott5

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-5)6

TOTAL: (all out, 49.2 overs)221

FALL OF WKTS: 1-18 (Guptill), 2-102 (Williamson), 3-114 (Latham), 4-141 (Worker), 5-152 (Elliott), 6-156 (Ronchi), 7-187 (Bracewell), 8-201 (Milne), 9-201 (Munro).

BOWLING: Steyn 10-0-41-1 (1w), Rabada 10-1-33-2 (2w), Wiese 9-0-58-3 (1w), Abbott 9.2-0-43-1 (1w), Imran Tahir 10-0-36-2, Behardien 1-0-9-0.

MAN OF THE MATCH: AB de Villiers (RSA)

MAN OF THE SERIES: Hashim Amla (RSA)

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2015

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