Cricket: Smith leads South Africa to six wicket win

2.00pm

UPDATE - New Zealand's dream for their first test series win over South Africa went up in smoke as captain Graeme Smith led home a six-wicket win in the third test at Wellington's Basin Reserve today.

A determined Smith was unbeaten on 125 as he hit the winning runs off Chris Martin, with Martin van Jaarsveld on 13 as the tourists reached their winning target of 234 in the seventh over after lunch on day five.

It saw them come from behind to square the series after being hammered by nine wickets in the second test in Auckland, and left New Zealand still waiting for a first series win in 72 years of rivalry.

Smith and veteran Gary Kirsten were the heroes for South Africa, adding 171, a South African fourth wicket record against New Zealand which topped Hansie Cronje and Daryll Cullinan's 145 set here five years ago.

Kirsten was dismissed leg before wicket by Scott Styris for 76 in the final over before lunch, in his 101st and final test, and tearfully departed to a guard of honour from his teammates.

The pair lifted South Africa from big trouble at 36 for three late yesterday.

Smith's innings, his seventh test century, took 295 minutes and he faced 201 balls.

Resuming on 82 for three, the South African batsmen saw off a testing opening hour from Martin and spinner Daniel Vettori, who had a couple of hopeful leg before wicket shouts.

They added a cautious 34 in the first hour but Smith broke the shackles with 12 off a Vettori over.

The two big milestones came up in the same Jacob Oram over, Kirsten reaching his 34th test 50 in 187 minutes off 146 balls.

Smith, who resumed on 46, followed next ball by hitting his 13th four off Oram, reaching his seventh test century in 233 minutes off 162 balls.

Martin, who took two early wickets yesterday, ended with figures of two for 65 while Vettori went wicketless for a fifth consecutive test innings to end with none for 53 off 18 overs.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was full of praise for his opposite.

"We had one hand on the cup but you played extremely well. We had you under pressure but you kept coming back, and that's testament to a very good team."

Smith was grateful to get some consolation after a largely disappointing tour.

"New Zealand have had us under pressure for most of the season and we're just really happy to get something out of it," Smith said.

Scoreboard:

NEW ZEALAND

First innings 297

Second innings 252

SOUTH AFRICA

First innings 316

Second innings (82-3 overnight)

G Smith not out 125

H Gibbs c Fleming b Martin 16

J Rudolph b Martin 0

J Kallis lbw b Oram 1

G Kirsten lbw b Styris 76

M van Jaarsveld not out 13

Extras (2lb, 1nb) 3

Total (for 4 wkts, 72.2 overs) 234

Fall: 29 (Gibbs), 31 (Rudolph), 36 (Kallis), 207 (Kirsten)

Bowling: C Martin 18.2-2-65-2, M Mason 6-1-32-0, J Oram
11-2-23-1, C Cairns 10-2-19-0 (1nb), D Vettori 18-2-53-0, S Styris 9-1-40-1

Result: South Africa won by six wickets, series drawn 1-1.

- NZPA