Klusener's grand finale

Mark Boucher and Lance Klusener made half-centuries in a stand of 87 to carry South Africa to a four-wicket victory over Australia here yesterday and giving them the three-match series 2-1.

Klusener, who joined the wicketkeeper when South Africa were 122 for 6, hit nine fours as he raced to his half-century off just 49 balls, finishing unbeaten on 52 as South Africa won with 13 balls to spare.

Boucher finished the match off with two fours off Ian Harvey, the first taking him to his half-century off 85 balls.

South Africa lost Gary Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs, coming in at No 3, with only 19 on the board but Jacques Kallis and the recalled Andrew Hall took the score to 91 for 2 with some exhilarating strokeplay. Shane Warne was hit for three fours by Kallis off his first four deliveries but just as quickly as the run spree had started it shuddered to a halt. Hall steered the first ball of Warne's third over to extra cover to be dismissed for 46, ending a partnership with Kallis of 72.

Two more wickets fell in the next over to leave South Africa in trouble at 91 for 5. Kallis fell to Brett Lee for 30 and three balls later Nicky Boje was beaten for pace by Lee and trapped leg-before.

Australia had done well to get to 205 with Shaun Pollock, playing his 100th one-day international, taking 4 for 37. He removed Adam Gilchrist and Damien Martyn in his opening spell and returned at the end of the innings to take the final two wickets of Warne and Lee.

The Australians slumped to 114 for 6 but with Steve Waugh making 51, after being dropped by Boucher on two, and Warne and Ian Harvey adding 52 for the eighth wicket Australia posted a competitive total.

South Africa won toss

AUSTRALIA

M E Waugh c Boucher b Hayward 9 ÿA C Gilchrist c Kirsten b Pollock 10 D R Martyn c Boucher b Pollock 6 M G Bevan b Klusener 33 *S R Waugh b Hayward 51 A Symonds c Hall b Klusener 6 S Lee b Kallis 2 I J Harvey b Kallis 38 S K Warne c Boje b Pollock 32 B Lee b Pollock 1 G M McGrath not out 0 Extras (lb6, nb3, w8) 17 Total (49.5 overs) 205

Fall: 1-22 2-28 3-37 4-82 5-107 6-114 7-149 8-201 9-205. Bowling: Pollock 9.5-1-37-4 (nb1, w2); Hayward 10-0-37-2 (w3); Kallis 7-1-38-2 (nb2, w2); Ntini 10-2-30-0; Klusener 10-1-45-2; Hall 3-0-12-0 (w1).

SOUTH AFRICA

G Kirsten b B Lee 1 A J Hall c Symonds b Warne 46 H H Gibbs lbw b McGrath 4 J C Kallis c M E Waugh b B Lee 30 J N Rhodes c sub b Warne 4 N Boje lbw b B Lee 0 ÿM V Boucher not out 55 L Klusener not out 52 Extras (b1, lb2, nb4, w10) 17 Total (for 6, 47.5 overs) 209

Did not bat: *S M Pollock, M Hayward, M Ntini.

Fall: 1-9 2-19 3-91 4-91 5-91 6-122. Bowling: McGrath 9-1-37-1 (nb1, w1); B Lee 10-2-32-3 (nb3, w4); Harvey 5.5-1-32-0; S Lee 7-0-47-0 (w4); Warne 10-2-30-2 (w1); M E Waugh 1-0-6-0; Bevan 3-0-11-0; Symonds 2-0-11-0.

Umpires: R E Koertzen and C J Mitchley.