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Sixth one-day international, Port Elizabeth: Australia 330-7 (49.1 overs) beat South Africa 326-3 (50 overs) by three wickets

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Australia continued to pile on the humiliation for South Africa with a remarkable win in the sixth one-day international at Port Elizabeth.

Having already won the seven-match series, the Australians showed no let up despite chasing a new one-day international record winning total of 327.

After a lightning start they had been in danger of stalling in their reply after three quick wickets fell.

However, Ricky Ponting and Darren Lehmann re-ignited Australia's hopes with a partnership of 172 for the fourth wicket.

Vicious hitting

The pair started slowly building up in singles but then started to indulge in some expansive strokeplay to keep Australia in touch with the run-rate.

Lehmann was particularly impressive with his improvised shot selection and some vicious hitting.

However, he was unable to complete a third one-day international century, falling for 91 to give Graeme Smith his first international wicket courtesy of a Mark Boucher stumping.

Ponting carried on as the run-rate got easier by the minute but when Damien Martyn fell to a stunning catch by Jonty Rhodes, the Australian captain followed him in the next over for 92.

Adam Gilchrist goes on the attack
Gilchrist gave Australia the start they needed

With nerves starting to jangle, Michael Bevan came to the crease with Shane Watson and together they took their side to within a run of victory before Watson ran himself out needlessly.

Shane Warne hit the runs required the following ball, giving Australia the highest-ever winning total for a side batting second in one-day international, beating Australia's 316 for nine against Pakistan in 1998/99.

Earlier, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden had set off with a bang, with Gilchrist slamming his second ball for six.

He and Hayden blazed away, with Hayden taking two sixes in an over off the bowling of Shaun Pollock.

Gilchrist took the lead hitting eight fours and two sixes as he reached 50 in just 27 balls.

Mini-collapse

However, shortly after reaching his half-century, Gilchrist departed, hooking Roger Telemachus to Makhaya Ntini at square leg.

That sparked a mini-collapse as Ian Harvey joined Gilchrist back in the pavilion, edging Telemachus behind for just four and then Matthew Hayden holed out off Jacques Kallis for 35.

The Australians appeared to be up against it after Kallis and Jonty Rhodes wrought havoc in the last ten overs to take South Africa to 326 for three

With wickets in hand Kallis and Rhodes took full advantage of an Australian attack minus Brett Lee and containing a neutralised Shane Warne, who conceded 58 from just seven overs.

His colleagues were to suffer equally with Kallis racing to 80 from just 59 balls and Rhodes making 71 from 50 balls.

Jacques Kallis hits out
Kallis thrashed the Australian bowlers

The last four overs yielded 53 runs, including 19 from one Ian Harvey over, as Kallis and Rhodes went berserk.

In all they added 132 in just over 15 overs together at the crease.

The innings was based on a solid foundation provided by Graeme Smith's 84 with Nicky Boje contributing 47 from 48 balls, as the pair added 83 for the third wicket.

That followed on an opening stand of 74 between Smith and Herschelle Gibbs, the fourth opening partnership South Africa have tried during this disastrous series.

Gibbs' 37 featured some aggressive stroke play, including taking eleven off one Glenn McGrath over, hitting a six over square leg.

Smith relied a little more on luck, twice finding the inside-edge off Jason Gillespie only for the ball to run safely to the boundary.

However, he began to find his feet, reaching his half-century off 63 balls, including five fours.

South Africa: Shaun Pollock (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Jonty Rhodes, Mark Boucher, Jon Kent, Nicky Boje, Roger Telemachus, Makhaya Ntini.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan, Shane Watson, Ian Harvey, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath.