Herschelle Gibbs hit a majestic century as South Africa cruised to a series-clinching five-wicket win in the third and final one-day international against New Zealand at Newlands Sunday.
Gibbs made 119 off 101 balls as South Africa chased down New Zealand's 238 for eight with 28 balls to spare. Playing on his home ground, Gibbs raced to fifty off 40 balls and reached his 19th one-day international century in the 21st over off 77 deliveries with ten fours and six sixes.
Gibbs took the attack to the New Zealand bowlers from the start, hitting two boundaries in each of Mark Gillespie's first two overs, then lifting Kyle Mills for a straight six. Gillespie was replaced by Jacob Oram and Gibbs hit his first ball for another six.
He dominated an opening partnership of 173 with captain Graeme Smith. When he reached his century in the 21st over the total was 136 and Smith was on 29.
Gibbs slowed down after reaching his hundred but there was one more six before he top-edged a sweep against left-arm spinner Vettori to be caught at deep midwicket. Vettori said the Black Caps thought their total was competitive on a pitch where he and fellow spinner Jeetan Patel expected to gain some assistance. "But the way Graeme and particularly Herschelle started the innings took the game away from us."
While Gibbs made batting look ridiculously easy, Smith battled his way to 51, surviving chances on 23 and 44. Smith was playing despite a scan which showed he had an enlarged spleen after contracting a virus on a tour of Pakistan in October. Gibbs said the past two or three weeks had been a struggle. "But I managed to guts it out and I think my team-mates respect me for that. The doctors will get together this week and sort something out and I'll get some rest."
Gibbs said he felt his innings was comparable to his match-winning 175 when South Africa made a then-world record of 438 to beat Australia at the Wanderers in Johannesburg two seasons ago. "It's not often you get in that sort of zone," he said. "It felt very similar to how I felt at the Wanderers."
New Zealand hit back after Smith was caught at deep midwicket off Vettori, with Gibbs following four overs later, to be followed quickly by AB de Villiers and JP Duminy. Four wickets fell for 18 runs. Vettori was mainly responsible for the slump, taking three for 33.
Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher steadied the South African innings, putting on 46 before Kallis chased a wide ball and was caught behind off part-time bowler Lou Vincent with only two needed to win. New Zealand struggled early in their innings after winning the toss. Fast bowler Dale Steyn, playing in his first match of the series, dismissed both opening batsmen cheaply and were 79 for four after 22 overs before Scott Styris (60) and Mathew Sinclair (73) led a recovery.
Styris and Sinclair put on 49 for the fifth wicket. Sinclair then shared stands of 56 with Jacob Oram and 43 with Kyle Mills as the Black Caps reached a competitive total.
SCOREBOARD:
NEW ZEALAND:
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L. Vincent b Steyn 18
B. McCullum c Gibbs b Steyn 0
J. How lbw b Langeveldt 15
S. Styris c Nel b Botha 60
R. Taylor b Nel 3
M. Sinclair run out (Steyn) 73
J. Oram c Smith b Langeveldt 34
K. Mills run out (Langeveldt) 11
D. Vettori not out 9
M. Gillespie not out 0
Extras: (lb6, nb2, w7) 15
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Total: (8 wkts, 50 overs) 238
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Falls: 1-7 (McCullum), 2-27 (Vincent), 3-68 (How), 4-79 (Taylor), 5-128 (Styris), 6-184 (Oram), 7-227 (Mills), 8-234 (Sinclair)
Bowling: Pollock 10-2-26-0 (2w), Steyn 9-0-50-2 (4w), Nel 10-0-52-1 (1w), Langeveldt 10-0-46-2 (2nb), Botha 9-0-45-1, Kallis 2-0-13-0.
SOUTH AFRICA:
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G. Smith c Gillespie b Vettori 51
H. Gibbs c Mills b Vettori 119
J. Kallis c McCullum b Vincent 30
A. de Villiers c Sinclair b Mills 2
J. Duminy c McCullum b Vettori 1
M. Boucher not out 26
S. Pollock not out 4
Extras: (b3, lb3, nb1, w2) 9
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Total: (5 wkts, 45.2 overs) 242
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Falls: 1-173 (Smith), 2-187 (Gibbs), 3-190 (De Villiers), 4-191 (Duminy), 5-237 (Kallis)
Bowling: Mills 10-0-34-1, Gillespie 7-1-58-0 (1nb, 1w), Oram 2-0-20-0, Styris 8-0-37-0 (1w), Vettori 10-1-33-3, Patel 7.2-0-54-0, Vincent 1-1-0-1.
Result: South Africa won by 5 wickets
Series: South Africa won 2-1
Umpires: M Benson (ENG), I Howell (RSA).
TV umpire: M Erasmus (RSA). Match referee: J Srinath (Ind).
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