South Africa clinches series with 10-wicket win

Jacques Kallis celebrated his 150th Test match with one of the most complete allround performances of his long career as he inspired South Africa to a 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Friday and a first home series win in three years.Kallis had marked his milestone match at his home ground at Newlands with a career-best 224 in South Africas rampant first-innings batting effort in the third Test.He then picked up 3-35 with the ball in Sri Lankas second innings on the fourth day and equaled a South African record six catches in the match to be the driving force behind the Proteas dominant win.South Africa overcame a heavy 208-run loss in the second Test, it’s first-ever test defeat on home soil to the Sri Lankans, to seal a first home series success since it beat Bangladesh in late 2008.It ended a frustrating run of four home series without a win for South Africa, where it failed to close out strong positions in the last three.In Cape Town, South Africa finally found the killer instinct to bowl Sri Lanka out for 239 and then 342 just before tea on Friday after it had followed on in response to South Africas daunting and Kallis-inspired 580-4 declared.I couldnt have asked for it to have worked out better. You dream of performances like that in milestone games, Kallis said.Needing just two runs to clinch the match and a 2-1 series victory with over a day to spare, opener Alviro Petersen drove the first ball of South Africas second innings, a no-ball from Dhammika Prasad, back through mid-on and to the boundary.At the non-strikers end, captain Graeme Smith neednt have padded up.Excellent bounce back from the guys, Smith said. We were very poor in Durban and admittedly so. There was a bit of emotion for Jakes (Kallis) and the guys came out and played for him.We havent lost too many (series) but we just havent had that killer punch. This one in particular, theres a lot to build on.A fighting 115 not out from Thilan Samaraweera had earlier delayed South Africas march to victory in a gritty 142-run partnership with Angelo Mathews (63). Their disciplined stand under great pressure from South Africas relentless attack was chiefly responsible for the host having to bat again.However, Samaraweeras impressive second century of the series, where he hit 14 fours to prop up Sri Lankas failing batting lineup, couldnt prevent South Africas long-awaited victory.Having not been in Sri Lankas initial squad for the tour, Samaraweeras first century in South Africa had set up their historic win in Durban. But, despite the 35-year-old batsmans fight at Newlands, Sri Lanka slid away to its fourth series defeat in four trips to South Africa and its fourth straight series loss.