Zeecric Bureau
Ahmedabad: Inspired by terrific centuries from captain Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers, SA managed to run away with a 90 run consolation victory in the third and final ODI at Ahmedabad.
Electing to bat first, South Africa`s top order fired in unison as they amassed a mamoth 365 for two first and then shot out India for 275 in 44.3 overs.
India, who has already won the series 2-0, had to be contend with a 2-1 victory after they failed to overhaul the huge target, despite some useful contributions by Virat Kohli (57), Rohit Sharma (48) and Suresh Raina (49).
Earlier, Kallis (104) and de Villiers (102) struck belligerent unbeaten centuries after Loots Bosman (68) and Hashim Amla (87) laid the foundation of a big total with a 113-run opening partnership.
Kallis slammed unbeaten 104 in 94 balls with three sixes and five fours while de Villiers (102), who scored his second ton on the trot in the series, carted the bowlers for three sixes and eleven fours in his 59-ball innings.
Chasing an improbable 366 to win, India lost both their openers Murali Vijay (25) and Dinesh Karthik (11) and were reduced to 40 for two in 5.2 overs.
Rohit and Kohli then joined hands and forged a 95-run second wicket partnership to resurrect the innings but with the run-rate pilling up each moment, the former perished in pursuit of quick runs.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (9) hit a towering six over long-on in the third ball he faced but a brilliant catch by Mark Boucher off Dale Steyn in the next over cut short his innings.
Steyn struck again, removing Kohli in the last ball of the same over as India were looking down the barrel at 157 for five in 28 overs.
Needing 201 runs from 21 overs, Raina, Yusuf Pathan (5) and Ravindra Jadeja (36) threw their bat at everything. Even debutante Abhimanyu Mithun (24) provided some fireworks, hitting consecutive sixes of Johan Botha in the 41st over but it was too little too late in the end.
SA post mammoth 365/2
Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers struck belligerent unbeaten centuries to power South Africa to an imposing score of 365 for two in the inconsequential third and final One-Day International against India here today.
Kallis slammed unbeaten 104 in 94 balls with three sixes and five fours while de Villiers (102), who scored his second ton on the trot in the series, carted the bowlers for three sixes and eleven fours in his 59-ball innings.
The duo`s 173-run partnership came in only 103 balls as the inexperienced Indian attack was exposed thoroughly on the feather-bed of a pitch at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera.
Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers once again with figures of 1 for 53 while Pathan (1/66) was expensive.
South Africa, playing for pride in the third ODI after having conceded a 2-0 lead to India, were given a rock-solid start by openers Loots Bosman (68 off 103) and Hashim Amla (87 off 46) who put on 113 runs after electing to bat first.
Bosman slammed four sixes and seven fours during his knock while Amla`s innings was studded eight fours.
Amla and Bosman commenced the South Africa innings on a brisk note against a virtual second-string pace attack without both Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, who were rested.
Amla, who had an outstanding Test series and was asked to stay back for the ODIs after regular skipper Graeme Smith flew back home with a finger injury, was the more dominant partner initially before Bosman took over.
Amla greeted debutant Abhimanyu Mithun to international cricket by spanking the Karntaka youngster for successive fours in his opening over.
Bosman, caught off a no-ball by Yusuf Pathan at short mid-wicket off S Sreesanth, pulled a long hop from the bowler for the first six of the innings and then swept him for a four to force the Kerala bowler off the firing line after an expensive five-over spell for 32 runs.
He then stepped out to Yusuf Pathan in the latter`s first over to loft the off spinner for a six over long off and complete his half century in 36 balls.
Bosman innings came to an end when he tried to clear Pathan only to find Jadeja at at long off.
Amla, who duly reached his half-ton in 58 balls with six fours, and captain Jacques Kallis then consolidated the innings with a partnership of 79 runs in 17.1 overs.
The second wicket stand was broken Amla top-edged a slog-sweep to debutant Murali Vijay off Jadeja at deep square leg.
A B de Villiers, who came into the tie with a century in his previous innings in Gwalior, put on the belligerent partnership with Kallis to give further impetus.
In the 40th over the elegant right-hander drove and pulled Sreesanth, back for his second spell, for three fours to set the tone for the final assault which produced 122 runs in the last ten overs.
The three speedsters leaked 205 runs, with Sreesanth conceding as many as 83 runs and ending wicket-less.
Man of the Match: AB de Villiers
Man of the Series: Sachin Tendulkar
