Gibbs inspires series-clinching win for South Africa

An inspired innings by Herschelle Gibbs helped set up South Africa for victory by four wickets over New Zealand in the third one-day international on Sunday.

The win gave the South Africans an unbeatable 3-0 lead in five-match series..

Gibbs's 81 off 94 balls was the key innings for South Africa, who scored 245 for six in 49.2 overs in reply to New Zealand's 243 for nine.

Justin Kemp scored 30 not out off 19 balls and hit the first two deliveries of the last over from Shane Bond for six and four to clinch victory.

Kemp and Shaun Pollock (21 not out) blasted 43 runs off 24 balls.

Scoreboard

New Zealand:
S. Fleming run out 54
N. Astle c Kemp b Ntini 11
L. Vincent c Boucher b Ntini 3
H. Marshall c Smith b Nel 7
S. Styris b Langeveldt 78
C. McMillan run out 19
B. McCullum b Ntini 19
A. Adams run out 25
D. Vettori c Gibbs b Nel 6
K. Mills not out 6

Extras: (lb-5, nb-2, w-8) 15

Total: (for 9 wickets, 50 overs) 243

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-23, 3-49, 4-108, 5-155, 6-203, 7-206, 8-224, 9-243.

Did not bat: S. Bond

Bowling: S. Pollock 10-0-23-0 (w-5), M. Ntini 10-0-37-3, A. Nel 10-2-47-2, C. Langeveldt 10-0-76-1 (nb-2), J. Kemp 7-0-40-0, G. Smith 3-0-15-0 (w-3).

South Africa:
G. Smith c McCullum b Adams 18
 A. de Villiers c McCullum b Mills 29
 H. Gibbs c H. Marshall b Bond 81
 J. Rudolph run out 17
 A. Prince c Mills b Adams 21
 M. Boucher run out 24
 J. Kemp not out 30
 S. Pollock not out 21

Extras: (lb-2, nb-1, w-1) 4

Total: (for 6 wickets, 49.2 overs) 245.

Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-48, 3-101, 4-150, 5-187, 6-202.

Did not bat: C. Langeveldt, M. Ntini, A. Nel

Bowling: K. Mills 10-2-45-1 (nb-1), S. Bond 9.2-1-73-1 (w-1) , A. Adams 10-1-40-2, S. Styris 10-0-32-0, D. Vettori 9-0-49-0, N. Astle 1-0-4-0.

Result: South Africa won by 4 wickets