Hashim Amla continued in his rich vein of form, and struck his third One-day hundred to help South Africa shake off ‘dead-rubber syndrome', and win the fourth ODI against West Indies by seven wickets.
Amla hit nine fours and two sixes in another sublime innings of 129 from 115 balls, as the South Africans, chasing 304 for victory from their allocation of 50 overs, reached their target from the very last ball in a thrilling finish at Windsor Park on Sunday.
Amla reached his second hundred from 94 balls, when he guided a delivery from West Indies captain Chris Gayle, bowling his uncomplicated off-spin, to third man for three in the 30th over.
He shared 59 for the first wicket with the Proteas' captain Graeme Smith, 119 for the second wicket with Jacques Kallis, and 46 for the third wicket with A B de Villiers that anchored the visitors to victory.
“It was a great effort from us to chase over 300 runs, and we have to look at the positives from this performance,” said Smith.
“Hashim's knock was an incredible innings, and the rest of the guys batted around him very, very well. But I think he must take the credit for a great run chase.
“We would have loved to have finished the game more comfortably in the last over, and maybe we got a bit conservative there in the end. But we successfully chased over 300 on a second game pitch, and we are happy.”
When Amla was dismissed, South Africa needed 80 from 76 balls, and J. P. Duminy joined de Villiers to carry them the rest of the way in an unbroken stand of 80 for the fourth wicket.
In a dramatic finish however, the South Africans needed one run from the last delivery, following a sensational final over from Dwayne Bravo in which he conceded a single to de Villiers off the first ball, a leg bye to Duminy from the next, and then bowled three dot balls.
De Villiers however, formalised the result, when he swung the final delivery through mid-wicket, where Darren Sammy fumbled it, and then missed a throw at the bowler's end, as the batsman scrambled to make his ground.
The victory handed the Proteas a 4-0 lead in the five-match series, after they won the opening match by 66 runs, under the Duckworth-Lewis Method, in Antigua, where they also won the second ODI by 17 runs and the third ODI by 67 runs last Friday at this venue.
