PORT ELIZABETH (South Africa), Jan 27: Jacques Kallis scored a century to guide South Africa to a one-day series win over West Indies on Sunday.
South Africa won by seven wickets with eight balls to spare to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Kallis struck 121 not out in South Africa’s total of 256 for three after West Indies, who won the toss, made 252 for seven from 50 overs with Marlon Samuels top-scoring on 98.
Kallis faced 133 balls and hit 12 fours and a six in his 16th one-day century.
The visitors were put on the path to their useful total in a second-wicket stand of 75 between Sewnarine Chattergoon and debutant Patrick Browne.
The partnership was ended in the 24th over when off-spinner Johan Botha bowled Chattergoon off the edge of his bat for 52.
Botha struck again four overs later to trap Browne in front for 35.
Samuels struggled to find firm support in the second half of the innings, and he took on most of the responsibility for raising the scoring rate in the final overs.
Samuels was dismissed with the last ball of the innings when he attempted to hit fast bowler Morne Morkel out of the ground to reach his century and was caught by J.P. Duminy at long-on.
Number three batsman Kallis came to the crease in the eighth over with 40 runs on the board after opener Herschelle Gibbs (15) slashed a delivery from fast bowler Daren Powell into the hands of Jerome Taylor running around the boundary from third man.Kallis and Graeme Smith added 82 for the second wicket before Smith pulled a ball from off-spinner Samuels and was smartly caught by Darren Sammy at short mid-wicket for 56.
South Africa fell to 168-3 in the 34th over when A.B. de Villiers (18) skied a ball from fast bowler Fidel Edwards to Taylor at mid-on.
Kallis and Duminy, who was 36 not out, ensured South Africa stayed on track for victory with an unbroken stand of 88 for the fourth wicket.
The fourth match will be played in Durban on Friday.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES:
B.A. Parchment c Langeveldt b Pollock 5
S. Chattergoon b Botha 52
P.A. Browne lbw b Botha 35
M.N. Samuels c Duminy b Morkel 98
R.S. Morton b Kallis 13
D.J. Bravo run out 7
D.J.G. Sammy c Smith b Langeveldt 12
D. Ramdin not out 12
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-11, NB-2) 18
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 252
FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-99, 3-110, 4-157, 5-174, 6-197, 7-252.
DID NOT BAT: J.E. Taylor, D.B.L. Powell, F.H. Edwards.
BOWLING: Pollock 10-2-28-1 (1nb, 2w); Steyn 10-0-62-0 (1nb, 2w); Langeveldt 9-1-68-1; Morkel 9-0-49-1 (2w); Botha 7-0-29-2 (5w); Kallis 5-0-11-1.
SOUTH AFRICA:
H.H. Gibbs c Taylor b Powell 15
G.C. Smith c Sammy b Samuels 56
J.H. Kallis not out 121
A.B. de Villiers c Taylor b Edwards 18
J.P. Duminy not out 36
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-7) 10
TOTAL (for three wkts, 48.4 overs) 256
FALL OF WKTS: 1-40, 2-122, 3-168.
DID NOT BAT: M.V. Boucher, S.M. Pollock, J. Botha, M. Morkel, D.W. Steyn, C.K. Langeveldt.
BOWLING: Taylor 9.4-0-51-0 (3w); Powell 10-1-43-1 (3w); Edwards 9-0-59-1 (1w); Sammy 10-0-62-0; Samuels 10-1-38-1.
RESULT: South Africa won by seven wickets.
UMPIRES: I.L. Howell (South Africa) and D.J. Harper (Australia).
TV UMPIRE: B.G. Jerling (South Africa).
MATCH REFEREE: J. Srinath (India).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Jacques Kallis.
FIRST MATCH: Centurion, South Africa won by six wickets.
SECOND MATCH: Cape Town, South Africa won by 86 runs.
FOURTH MATCH: Durban (D/N), Feb 1.
FIFTH MATCH: Johannesburg, Feb 3.
—Reuters