Gilchrist’s ton guides Aussies to series win

Adam Gilchrist scored a superb century to help Australia clinch the one-day series against South Africa in Durban on Wednesday. Gilchrist sc...

Adam Gilchrist scored a superb century to help Australia clinch the one-day series against South Africa in Durban on Wednesday.

Gilchrist scored 105 off 104 balls with 12 fours and a six as Australia totalled 271 for two in reply to South Africa’s 267 for six to canter to victory by eight wickets with 13 balls to spare.

The result gave Australia, who won the test series 2-1, a 4-0 lead in the seven-match rubber with two matches to play.

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SCOREBOARD

South

Africa:

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G Smith c Gilchrist b Warne 46; H.Gibbs c Gilchrist b Gillespie

25; N.Boje c and b Lee 22; J.Kallis c Maher b McGrath 21; J.Rhodes c Ponting

b McGrath 76; N.McKenzie c Gilchrist b Warne 17; M.Boucher not out 41;

S.Pollock not out 6; Extras: (b-1, lb-4, nb-1, w-7) 13. Total:

(For 6 wkts, 50 overs): 267

Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-82, 3-110, 4-125, 5-158, 6-255

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Bowling: McGrath 10-0-54-2, Gillespie 10-1-53-1, Lee 10-0-57-1,

Harvey 10-0-54-0, Warne 10-0-44-2

Australia:

A.Gilchrist c Kent b Ntini 105; M.Hayden b Hayward 59; R.Ponting not out

44; D.Martyn not out 47; Extras: (lb-6, nb-6, w-4) 16. Total:

(For 2 wkts, 47.5 overs)271

Fall of wickets: 1-170, 2-180

Bowling: Pollock 10-0-42-0, Ntini 9.5-0-51-1, Kallis 7-0-41-0, Hayward

8-0-58-1, Boje 7-0-32-0, Kent 6-0-41-0

Result: Australia win by 8 wickets

Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden scored almost half of the target between them in an opening stand of 170 off 185 balls, the biggest first wicket partnership by Australia against South Africa.

It was ended in the 31st over when Hayden was bowled off the inside edge by fast bowler Mornantau Hayward for 59. Hayden, the quieter of the opening pair, hit seven fours off the 91 balls he faced.

Gilchrist batted with fine timing and crushing power and scored all around the wicket before, three overs after Hayden’s dismissal, he lofted a delivery from fast bowler Makhaya Ntini to fine leg where debutant Jon Kent did well to hold a spiralling catch.

South Africa wasted a chance to dismiss the devastating Gilchrist when he was 11 not out in the fifth over, Jacques Kallis at slip spilling a simple catch off the bowling of fast bowler Shaun Pollock. Ricky Ponting, who scored an unbeaten 44, and Damien Martyn, who was 47 not out, completed Australia’s triumph with an unbroken third-wicket stand of 91. (Reuters)

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