DURBAN, March 10: Boeta Dippenaar’s fourth one-day international century powered South Africa to a competitive total of 246 for nine in the fourth match against Australia on Friday.

Dippenaar scored 101 off 141 balls to leave Australia requiring 4.94 runs an over to stay alive in the five-match series. Shaun Pollock hit 53 not out.

Left-arm seamer Nathan Bracken struck twice early on for Australia, having opener Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs caught behind by Adam Gilchrist for a single apiece.

AB de Villiers hit four fours and two sixes in his 38 to revive South Africa from a parlous nine for two before he was bowled by Mick Lewis just as the home side were starting to dominate.

Jacques Kallis, who scored 21 in his comeback innings after five weeks out with an elbow injury, and Mark Boucher (19) threatened but were unable to build a big score.

Pollock joined Dippenaar with South Africa on 173 for six in the 41st over and they added 72 runs in 9.1 overs.

Pollock was on fire, racing to a 28-ball half-century. When fast bowler Brett Lee came back on, Pollock hit him for four successive boundaries.

South Africa lost three wickets in the final over. Lewis finished with two for 38 while Lee ended with one for 55.

Scoreboard

South Africa

G. Smith c Gilchrist b Bracken 1

B. Dippenaar c Clarke b Lee 101

H. Gibbs c Gilchrist b Bracken 1

A. de Villiers lbw b Lewis 38

J. Kallis c Hussey b Symonds 21

M. Boucher c Gilchrist b Lewis 19

J. Kemp lbw b Clark 1

S. Pollock not out 53

R. Telemachus run out 0

A. Hall run out 0

Extras (b-2 lb-2 w-2) 11

Total (for 9 wickets, 50 overs) 246

Fall of wkts: 1-1 2-9 3-81 4-118 5-170 6-173 7-245 8-246 9-246

Did not bat: M. Ntini

Bowling: B. Lee 10-0-55-1; N. Bracken 10-2-36-2; S. Clark 10-1-49-1; M. Lewis 10-0-38-2; A. Symonds 6-0-31-1 (w-1); M. Hussey 2-0-15-0 M. Clarke 2-0-13-0 (w-1).—Agencies #