CENTURION (South Africa), Nov 6: South Africa completed a 4-0 series win when they beat New Zealand by six wickets in a rain-hit fifth and final One-day International at Centurion Park on Sunday.

All-rounder Andrew Hall, captain Graeme Smith and wicket-keeper Mark Boucher were mainly responsible for South Africa’s victory, which stretched their unbeaten streak in One-day Internationals to 19 matches.

Hall had career-best figures of four for 23 as New Zealand were bowled out for 215, failing to capitalise on a quick start after they were sent in to bat.

With a storm threatening, Smith made an aggressive 66 off 65 balls to put South Africa well ahead of the required run rate but his side had an anxious wait when lightning and imminent rain halted play when they were 105 for two in 19 overs.

Another over needed to be bowled to reach the minimum number for a result to be achieved. After a delay of more than an hour, South Africa had the simple task of making another 35 runs off 11 overs to reach a revised target of 140 off 30 overs.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:

S.P. Fleming c Boucher b Pollock 0

N.J. Astle c Hall b Langeveldt 37

L. Vincent c de Villiers b Hall 66

H.J.H. Marshall c Boucher b Langeveldt 3

S.B. Styris c Boucher b Hall 19

C.D. McMillan lbw b Hall 9

B.B. McCullum c Boucher b Hall 27

D.L. Vettori run out 0

J.E.C. Franklin c Boucher b Nel 12

K.D. Mills c Prince b Ntini 19

S.E. Bond not out 9

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-7, NB-4) 14

TOTAL (all out, 49.3 overs) 215

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-75, 3-91, 4-134, 5-141, 6-152, 7-152, 8-185, 9-187.

BOWLING: Pollock 8-1-34-1 (2nb, 1w); Ntini 8.3-0-49-1 (1w); Nel 9-0-46-1 (4w); Langeveldt 9-2-36-2 (1nb); Hall 10-1-23-4 (1nb, 1w); Kallis 5-0-24-0.

SOUTH AFRICA:

G.C. Smith b Franklin 66

A.B. de Villiers c Fleming b Mills 11

J.H. Kallis c Fleming b Vettori 15

A.G. Prince st McCullum b Vettori 9

J.A. Morkel c Astle b Styris 5

M.V. Boucher not out 22

J.M. Kemp not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-7, NB-1) 11

TOTAL (for five wkts, 28.1 overs) 140

FALL OF WKTS: 1-61, 2-103, 3-106, 4-113, 5-131.

DID NOT BAT: S.P. Pollock, A.J. Hall, C.K. Langeveldt, M. Ntini.

BOWLING: Mills 8-0-45-1 (1w); Bond 5-0-27-0 (1w); Franklin 4-1-19-1 (1nb); Styris 6-0-27-1 (1w); Vettori 5-0-18-2; Astle 0.1-0-1-0.

RESULT: South Africa won by five wickets (D/L Method).

UMPIRES: B.G. Jerling (South Africa) and S.A. Bucknor (West Indies).

TV UMPIRE: K.H. Hurter (South Africa).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Andrew Hall.—Agencies