The run out of Stephen Fleming was only a temporary blip for the Kiwis

New Zealand wrapped up a 5-1 series win over South Africa with an easy five-wicket victory in the final one-day international in Napier.

Opener Michael Papps made an unbeaten 92 as the hosts reached their target of 187 with four overs to spare.

South Africa only managed a total of 186-9 because of an unbroken 10th wicket stand of 67 between Makhaya Ntini (44) and Albie Morkel (23).

But Papps hit 10 fours in reply as the Kiwis made light of their task.

New Zealand went a long way to securing victory in the first 14 overs of the game as they reduced South Africa to 40-6.

Michael Mason removed Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis for three and nought in successive overs, the first two of five catches taken by wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum.

Daryl Tuffey then weighed in with the wickets of Graeme Smith, Jacques Rudolph and Mark Boucher in a superb display of seam bowling which brought him figures of 3-35 from his 10 overs.

Lance Klusener and Ashwell Prince led South Africa's recovery by putting on 63 for the seventh wicket but it took them 19 overs as Jacob Oram and Daniel Vettori

I thought it was a thrilling series and was more exciting to watch than the 5-1 result may show From Devan Levin Have your say on TMS

Klusener was eventually run out for 35 and Prince followed for 47 when he gave a return catch to Oram, who also accounted for Shaun Pollock and Robin Peterson in taking 3-24.

With no-one left in the dressing room, Ntini and Morkel chanced their arms and it came off, although Ntini was dropped twice during his cavalier 35-ball knock.

He struck two sixes and three fours as he and Morkel established a new South African last-wicket record, beating the stand of 51 between Richard Snell and Fanie de Villiers against Sri Lanka 11 years ago.

New Zealand began their reply in confident fashion as Pappas and skipper Stephen Fleming put on 58 in 12 overs.

Fleming was run out by Ntini for 32 and Hamish Marshall did not last long as he was bowled by Morkel for three.

I didn't think the pitch would have any movement in it and it did SA skipper Graeme Smith

Scott Styris became Pollock's 297th one-day victim when he was caught behind for 10 and when Chris Cairns was bowled by Peterson for the same score, the tourists were back in the game.

Papps continued to go for his shots, dominating a fifth wicket stand of 40 with Oram, who contributed only six before departing, caught by Klusener off Ntini.

By then, they were only 35 short of their target and Chris Harris had time for a brisk 22 not out before Papps brought proceedings to a close by sweeping Peterson to backward square leg for four.

The win lifts New Zealand into third place behind Australia and South Africa in the ICC one-day rankings.

New Zealand: H J H Marshall, S P Fleming (Capt), C L Cairns S B Styris, M H W Papps, J D P Oram, C Z Harris, B B McCullum (Wkt) D L Vettori, M J Mason, D R Tuffey.

South Africa: G C Smith (Capt), H H Gibbs, L Klusener, J A Morkel J H Kallis, A G Prince, M V Boucher (Wkt), J A Rudolph, S M Pollock R J Peterson, M Ntini.

Umpires: A L Hill and R B Tiffin