Dane Paterson picked up three late wickets as South Africa A beat the West Indies A by 76 runs in the third four-day match in Bloemfontein.
The result secured a 2-1 series win for the hosts, who bounced back from an opening defeat in Benoni.
Paterson (4-66), who took eight wickets in the match, was ably supported by all-rounder Ruan de Swardt (2-45).
The visitors put up a fight on the final day, with Joshua da Silva playing a captain’s knock of 110 off 138 balls (eight fours, two sixes), while Kirk McKenzie struck a 94-ball 81.
Having resumed on 47-1 and requiring another 374 runs to win, McKenzie and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (31) got stuck into the task at hand with a second-wicket partnership of 112 runs before they departed in the space of six balls, to Duanne Olivier (1-86) and De Swardt.
Four overs later, Hardus Viljoen (1-74) had Jordan Johnson (9) caught behind.
That brought Da Silva to the crease, and he and Kavem Hodge (47) added 84 runs before De Swardt’s first over after lunch brought the breakthrough. Neil Brand claimed a sharp catch at extra cover to see the back of the latter.
The hosts had to wait until after tea to get their next wicket, as Kevin Sinclair (23) attempted to go after Brand (1-32) but instead heaved the ball straight to Khaya Zondo at mid-wicket.
With the score 291-6 and 130 runs still required, Paterson struck twice in as many overs. First, he trapped Akeem Jordan (13) lbw, and then Zubayr Hamza held on at second slip to dismiss Shamar Joseph for nought.
Da Silva and Shermon Lewis added 47 for the final wicket – Da Silva with 44 of those runs – before the former finally fell. The right-hander, who scored his first fifty off 71 balls and his second off 62 balls, faced just five more deliveries after reaching his ton before Paterson got the prized wicket and with it the win.
Photo: Frikkie Kapp/Gallo Images
