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JOHANNESBURG - Paceman Shaun Pollock bowled superbly to set up a nine-wicket win for South Africa in the fifth and final one-day cricket international against Pakistan in Johannesburg today.
Pollock took five for 23 from his 10 overs as South Africa won the series 3-1 after the third game in Port Elizabeth was rained out.
The former South Africa captain tore through the Pakistan top order to help limit the visitors to 153 all out in 40.5 overs.
AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis then gorged themselves on the Pakistan bowling, both scoring 71 not out as South Africa raced to 156 for one in 28.2 overs, to win by nine wickets.
Pakistan claimed the wicket of South African captain Graeme Smith, caught behind off Mohammad Asif for a duck, in the first over, but a flurry of runs followed as Kallis attacked the bowling with abandon.
Kallis was first to his half-century, in the 19th over off 61 balls, followed by De Villiers four overs later, off 63 deliveries. The pair added an unbeaten 155 off 179 balls as South Africa, playing their last one-day international before the World Cup, continued to close in on Australia at the top of the International Cricket Council rankings.
Kallis hit eight fours and launched a remarkable six over the covers off Rao Iftikhar Anjum, while De Villiers was also close to his attacking best with seven fours and two sixes.
Earlier, Pakistan had their momentum killed from the outset as Pollock took the new ball and bowled his ration of 10 overs on the trot, reducing them to 71 for five after 17 overs.
Pollock struck in the first over by having Mohammad Hafeez caught behind for a duck, but Imran Nazir then struck two fours and a six in a run-a-ball 22 before Pollock held on to a steepling return catch.
The experienced Younis Khan scored 19 before he dragged a Pollock delivery into the stumps and the in-form Mohammad Yousuf then shuffled across the stumps and was trapped lbw for five.
Pollock completed the fifth five-wicket haul of his one-day career when he found the edge of Inzamam-ul-Haq's bat with extra bounce. Kallis took a sharp, head-high catch at second slip to dismiss the Pakistan captain without scoring.
Kamran Akmal, batting at number four, scored a battling 22 before Ashwell Prince took a diving catch at square-leg to catch him off Charl Langeveldt, while Shoaib Malik took Pakistan past 150 with a brave 43 not out.
Kallis picked up two wickets as Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (8) and Anjum (4) both flapped at leg-side lifters and were caught behind by Mark Boucher.
- REUTERS
