WELLINGTON, 31 March 2004 — South Africa captain Graeme Smith scored an unbeaten century as the tourists cruised to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand on the fifth afternoon of the third Test yesterday.
Resuming after lunch on 207 for four, Smith and Martin van Jaarsveld (13 not out) wasted little time in polishing off the 27 remaining runs needed to win the match and even the three-match series at 1-1.
Man-of-the-Match Smith hit Chris Martin through mid-wicket for the winning score to end not out on 125.
Smith had earlier taken part in a record fourth wicket partnership of 171 with Gary Kirsten, who was out off the final ball before the lunch interval.
“Just to get something out of the series was really satisfying. We knew we had a big job coming here and that they (New Zealand) would be on a high,” Smith said.
“They played some superb cricket but our boys, especially the bowlers, played well.”
Playing his final Test innings, Kirsten survived a number of appeals before umpire Asoka de Silva finally gave him out lbw for 76 to Scott Styris from the penultimate scheduled delivery of the morning session.
Kirsten departed Test cricket with a raised bat and a standing ovation from a good fifth day crowd of about 2,000.
Smith admitted that before play began he felt one big partnership on the final day would get South Africa home.
The first hour of the morning was always going to be crucial for both sides as the Proteas chased 152 more runs with seven wickets remaining.
New Zealand needed to take wickets while South Africa needed to preserve them and the tourists won that battle with Smith playing his best innings of the tour when his country needed it the most.
He reached his seventh Test century in 233 minutes and from 162 balls, hitting 13 boundaries and described the innings as one of his most satisfying knocks.
Kirsten was less flamboyant at the other end before producing some great shots to reach his 34th Test half-century in 187 minutes off 146 balls, including six fours.
He leaves the Test arena after playing 101 matches and scoring 7,288 runs at an average of a little over 45, highlighted by 21 centuries and 34 fifties.
