Klaasen slams 54-ball century, South Africa level series

OTCHEFSTROOM, AFP: Heinrich Klaasen slammed a 54-ball century as South Africa beat the West Indies by four wickets in the third and final one-day international on Tuesday.

South Africa were in trouble at 87 for four chasing a West Indian total of 260 but Klaasen went for his shots and the home side chased down the target with 20.3 overs to spare.

The series was shared 1-1 after the first match was rained off.

Klaasen finished with 119 not out off 61 balls, hitting 15 fours and five sixes in Potchefstroom. He shared partnerships of 55 off 38 balls with David Miller (17) and a match-clinching sixth-wicket stand of 103 off 62 deliveries with Marco Jansen (43).

 “It was a good wicket and it was one of my better knocks,” said Klaasen after notching his second one-day international century and the fourth-fastest for South Africa behind two from AB de Villiers one from Mark Boucher.

De Villiers holds the world record with his 31-ball hundred against the West Indies in Johannesburg in 2014/15.

Alzarri Joseph rocked the South Africans at the start of their innings by taking the first two wickets with aggressive, short-pitched bowling.

He finished with three for 50 but the rest of the West Indian bowlers took heavy punishment.

The series did not count for the World Cup Super League but Markram said Tuesday's result was important ahead of two matches against the Netherlands at the end of the month which South Africa must win if they hope to qualify automatically for the World Cup.