Smith guides SA to series-tying win

South Africa captain Graeme Smith scored an unbeaten century as the tourists cruised to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand on the fifth day.

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 on Tuesday.

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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.

"It was great to do it with Gazza (Kirsten) and we were able to bring the team home and give him a winning send off."

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.

"The team was under pressure coming out today and realising we had to bat well to share the series was really satisfying for me and it means a lot," Smith said.

GREAT SHOTS

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.

The previous best fourth wicket partnership was 145, set by Daryll Cullinan and Hansie Cronje at the same venue in 1998-99.

New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming said his team had batted poorly, particularly in the second innings when they had the chance to put South Africa out of the game after bowling out the tourists at a deficit of just 19 runs.

"We just didn't put enough runs on the board although when they were 36 for three last night, I thought we were still in with a chance," Fleming said.

"Had we been able to get them back here this morning with five down, it might have been different because they would have been tentative.

"As it was, Graeme and Gary played very well and the pitch was playing well and not giving us anything."

Fleming added the team may have been guilty of looking too far ahead knowing that a first series win over South Africa was in their grasp.

"I guess we looked at the outcome a little bit more than we should have, but there was a big prize up for grabs and I think we were just a little bit too cautious and that's a good lesson to learn."

After easing to a 5-1 win in the one-day series, New Zealand won the second Test in Auckland by nine wickets after the first was drawn in Hamilton.