South Africa sweep New Zealand ODI series

Chasing a target of 207 runs, South Africa lost five wickets in pursuit as they romped home with an easy win.

Auckland: Paceman Marchant de Lange picked up four wickets on his one-day international debut as South Africa completed a 3-0 clean sweep against New Zealand with a five-wicket victory in the third and final ODI in Auckland on Saturday.

South Africa's bowlers bundled out New Zealand for 206 in 47 overs after the visitors had won the toss and opted to bowl in wet and windy conditions at Eden Park. Hashim Amla, who made 92 in the last ODI in Napier on Wednesday, continued his impressive form by scoring 76 as South Africa reached their target with 40 deliveries to spare. The stylish right-hander, who was dropped on 30 by Nathan McCullum off Kyle Mills, added 80 runs for the first wicket with makeshift opener Wayne Parnell (27) and 58 runs with Albie Morkel (41) for the second to anchor the chase. Amla hit seven sublime boundaries in his knock before he mistimed a pull shot to be caught by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, giving seamer Kyle Mills his 200th wicket in ODIs. The visitors, who had also won the preceding three-match Twenty20 series 2-1, lost some wickets after Amla's dismissal but it was not enough for New Zealand to post an unlikely win. South Africa pacemen Dale Steyn and Lonwabo Tsotsobe pegged New Zealand back with some hostile fast bowling at the start and the hosts struggled for momentum from there on. The 21-year-old de Lange, who made his test debut last December against Sri Lanka, also extracted good pace and bounce from the track as New Zealand lost wickets at regular intervals to be bundled out with three overs left in their innings. The 55-run stand between James Franklin (36) and debutant Colin de Grandhomme (36) for the fifth wicket was the only half-century partnership in the New Zealand innings. De Grandhomme, who hit three sixes and a four in his 36-ball knock, and Kane Williamson were run after some athletic fielding by South Africa while left-arm spinner Robin Peterson lopped off the tail with two wickets at the end. New Zealand crumble to South African pace New Zealand crumbled under the withering pace of the South African bowlers and were unable to bat out their 50 overs in the third one-day international at Eden Park on Saturday. Not even the showers which swept over Auckland throughout the day could save New Zealand as they struggled to 206 all out in the 47th over with the umpires ruling not enough time was lost to reduce the number of balls. With South Africa holding an unbeatable 2-0 lead going into the final ODI, New Zealand had only pride to play for but found that was not enough to combat the pace of Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Marchant de Lange. Aided by heavy cloud cover, Tsostobe (one for 36) and Steyn (0-28) softened up the batsmen before De Lange ripped through the middle order to finish with 4-46 from nine overs. Faced with a barrage of deliveries around 145 kilometres (90 miles) per hour, the New Zealand batsmen were not allowed to settle. Martin Guptill was dismissed cheaply while fellow opener Rob Nicol played cautiously for 12 off 40 deliveries before he was back in the pavilion. After 19 overs New Zealand were struggling at less than three an over when Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson tried to lift the pace by cracking 13 off a Steyn over. That forced Steyn out of the attack only to introduce the express deliveries of De Lange, who had McCullum caught by Faf du Plessis for 47 off his second delivery to have New Zealand 74 for three. The attempt by Williamson and James Franklin to consolidate the innings lifted New Zealand to 105 before Williamson was run out for 22. Colin de Grandhomme celebrated his first one-day international with a six to get off the mark and blazed away at a run a ball until he was run out by Albie Morkel for 36 and New Zealand were in trouble at 160 for five. In the 42nd over De Lange claimed two wickets, first removing Franklin for 36, caught at short cover by Hashim Amla, who then moved to first slip where he caught Andrew Ellis two balls later. In the following De Lange over Amla was at midwicket where he caught Nathan McCullum for 10, leaving spinner Robin Peterson to wrap up the innings with the wickets of Kyle Mills and Michael Bates. PTI