Cricket: South Africa snatch top ranking

South Africa have beaten Australia in a one-day series for the third successive time after claiming a 61-run win in Port Elizabeth.

The victory, built on a century from Herschelle Gibbs, gives the Proteas a 3-1 advantage in the five-match series and returns the top ranking to their trophy cupboard.

Gibbs clubbed 110 in South Africa's 6-317 before spinner Roelof van der Merwe took 3-46 as Australia could only manage 256 all out in 45.5 overs.

Pace spearhead Dale Steyn finished off the tail to grab 4-44.

Skipper Ricky Ponting (53), Brad Haddin (78) and Michael Clarke (50) all made half-centuries for Australia but the target was far too high despite the small ground.

Haddin and Clarke combined for 129, a first-wicket record partnership at St George's Park.

"We probably needed one of those guys to get a big hundred at the top," Ponting said.

"Haddin played beautifully for 78 [then] we lost four for next to nothing."

Wicketkeeper Haddin thumped seven fours and four sixes from 61 balls before he was caught at long-on from spinner Johan Botha's bowling.

Australia proceeded to lose 4-22 as Van Der Merwe showed his 3-37 in Cape Town was no fluke.

The third-gamer dismissed Clarke (50), Callum Ferguson (3) and Mike Hussey (2) in the 24th, 26th and 28th overs.

Ponting and David Hussey became bogged down against the two spinners, scoring only 16 runs in the five-over period to the end of the 35th.

David Hussey was out in the next over, caught and bowled by Steyn at 5-188.

Steyn also struck the key blow to remove Ponting, caught at mid-wicket in the 41st over. Mitch Johnson (5), James Hopes (31), Nathan Hauritz (3) and Shane Harwood (0) soon followed.

Johnson was again Australia's leading bowler but his figures blew out to 2-59 with 15 runs coming from his 10th over, the 49th of the innings.

Paceman Shane Harwood took 2-57, removing JP Duminy for 40 on the last ball.

Man-of-the-match Gibbs, who started 2009 in an alcohol-rehabilitation clinic, crunched nine fours and two sixes off 116 deliveries in his 21st ODI century.

The 35-year-old opener shared a 136-run partnership for the third wicket with AB De Villiers (84).

The final one-dayer is on Friday in Johannesburg and the Australians then head for Dubai for a one-day series against Pakistan.

- AAP