A top all-round effort from the Proteas women saw them claim a comfortable win over the West Indies women in the final ODI of the series at a blustery Buffalo Park yesterday afternoon.
They still went down 2-1 in the series after the West Indies won the opening two matches, but the Proteas will be happy to have claimed a win and they will look to take this momentum into the three match T20 series starting on Friday.
The Proteas set the West Indies the biggest total of the series to chase when they finished their 50 overs on 235/6 and were able to defend it well in the end, winning by 35 runs.
Opener Trisha Chetty was named player of the match as she continued her sparkling form this series to add a second half century to go with her first match 47, while Dane van Niekerk hammered a quick fire end of innings half century to help them reach their total.
Masabata Klaas 2/33 and Sune Luus 2/30 were then the pick of the bowlers as they restricted the West Indies to 200/8 off their 50 overs.
Border star Ayabonga Khaka also contributed superbly to the bowling effort as she finally got a match at Buffalo Park, finishing with 1/28 from her 10 overs, including bowling two maidens off her first two overs.
The West Indies will have missed their captain and star player Stafanie Taylor who was injured before the match and they missed her batting in their chase.
Shaquana Quintyne (40) and Merissa Aguilleira (40) were their top scorers, with Shemaine Campbell (27) and a quick-fire 25 from Deandra Dottin also adding to the effort, but regular wickets and just two real partnerships of merit meant they fell well short in the end.
Dottin was named player of the series after outstanding three matches that helped her side come out on top in the series.
In the morning session the Proteas won the toss and elected to bat.
Andrie Steyn and Chetty got the Proteas off to a positive start with a 39-run partnership in the first nine overs, before Steyn was bowled for 21 by Shamilia Connell.
Captain Mignon du Preez then joined Chetty at the crease and they set about laying a good platform for the team.
They took them past 50 in the 13th over and then brought up their own 50 run stand with the first ball of the 21st over.
The Proteas then passed the 100 mark when du Preez hit Dottin for a boundary at the end of the 22nd over.
The West Indies finally made the break through in the 25th over when du Preez's entertaining effort of 43 off 62 balls was ended as she was bowled by Quintyne.
With a good platform laid at 111/2, Marizanne Kapp then joined Chetty at the crease and they continued the assault.
Chetty was then rewarded for her patience as a single off the last ball of the 33rd over saw her reach her 11th ODI half century.
The Proteas passed 150 in the 36th over, and in the next Chetty's vigil was finally ended as Shakera Selman bowled her for 55.
Lizelle Lee (4) did not really trouble the scorers as she was caught by Campbell off the bowling of Dottin as the Proteas slipped to 163/4 at the start of the 40th over.
Van Niekerk was next woman in and she initially struggled as she only managed six runs off her first 22 balls and at the end of the 44th over the Proteas were on 179/4.
However, van Niekerk then unleashed as she plundered five fours and three sixes as she raced to 55 off 48 balls and was run out off the last ball of the innings.
Kapp (39) played a good supporting role and was also dismissed in the last over and their stand of 64 played a big part in the Proteas finishing on 235/6.