Kemp leads Proteas to series win

PORT ELIZABETH – Justin Kemp hit New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond for a massive six which sailed out of St George’s Park as South Africa won the third one-day international with four balls to spare Sunday.

South Africa took an unbeatable 3-0 win in the five-match series with a four-wicket victory. It was their 12th successive one-day international win, the second-best winning streak in history.New Zealand, who set the home side a target of 244 to win, seemed to have clawed their way back into the match with some disciplined bowling and tigerish fielding before Kemp and Shaun Pollock came together in an unbeaten stand of 43 off 24 balls.Nine runs were still needed off the final over but Bond’s first ball was slightly short and Kemp pulled it high over midwicket and into the street beyond.He hooked the next delivery for four to finish the match.South Africa’s win was set up by Herschelle Gibbs, who stroked a fluent 81, but their winning streak was in danger when Gibbs was caught at point off Bond and Mark Boucher run out by a direct hit by Lou Vincent from cover.”We put ourselves under a little bit of pressure but we stood up when it counted,” said South African captain Graeme Smith.All three matches in the series have had close finishes.”It’s very disappointing to get so close in each game but not get over the line,” said New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming.South Africa won the first match in Bloemfontein by two wickets and the second in Cape Town by 19 runs.-Nampa-AFPIt was their 12th successive one-day international win, the second-best winning streak in history.New Zealand, who set the home side a target of 244 to win, seemed to have clawed their way back into the match with some disciplined bowling and tigerish fielding before Kemp and Shaun Pollock came together in an unbeaten stand of 43 off 24 balls.Nine runs were still needed off the final over but Bond’s first ball was slightly short and Kemp pulled it high over midwicket and into the street beyond.He hooked the next delivery for four to finish the match.South Africa’s win was set up by Herschelle Gibbs, who stroked a fluent 81, but their winning streak was in danger when Gibbs was caught at point off Bond and Mark Boucher run out by a direct hit by Lou Vincent from cover.”We put ourselves under a little bit of pressure but we stood up when it counted,” said South African captain Graeme Smith.All three matches in the series have had close finishes.”It’s very disappointing to get so close in each game but not get over the line,” said New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming.South Africa won the first match in Bloemfontein by two wickets and the second in Cape Town by 19 runs.-Nampa-AFP