Dale Steyn has been in superb form in recent weeks

Dale Steyn finished with 10 wickets in the match for the second Test in succession as South Africa beat New Zealand inside three days.

Steyn took 6-49, his best in Tests, as New Zealand were all out for 136, losing by an innings and 59 runs.

The easy victory at Centurion gave South Africa a 2-0 series win.

South Africa had been 272-3 overnight before Mark Gillespie (5-136) hustled out the middle order, but the hosts already had more than enough runs.

Steyn was helped by two generous lbw decisions from English umpire Mark Benson, who adjudged Lou Vincent and Stephen Fleming out despite evidence to the contrary.

But New Zealand, who crumbled to their eighth defeat in their last 10 Tests on South African soil, never really looked likely to challenge the hosts.

606: COMMENT Daniel Vettori is sitting out the back of the canteen with broken glasses, underwear around his neck and no lunch money UncleJrod

Day three began with South Africa in control of affairs on 272-3 with Hashim Amla on 89.

Amla duly went to his third Test century - all scored against New Zealand - before being caught in the cover ring on 103.

Ashwell Prince had already fallen at the very start of the day, to Gillespie, who proceeded to take three more wickets.

He bowled Mark Boucher, had AB de Villiers caught by wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum sprinting back to the boundary, and Paul Harris then went slashing behind.

South Africa had subsided to 323-8, but Steyn and Andre Nel added an entertaining 51 for the ninth wicket to give the hosts a 195-run lead.

Dale was fantastic with the ball, but he was very well supported by the rest of the bowlers Graeme Smith

With Craig Cumming (fractured cheekbone) unable to bat, South Africa needed just nine wickets to win, and Steyn supplied all but three of them.

While two of the wickets were fortunate, the rest were indisputable.

Michael Papps could not complain about the lbw verdict that went against him, while a couple of neat slip catches and a stunning diving catch from De Villiers in the covers gave Steyn three more successes.

Steyn then ended the Test in the most emphatic fashion, flattening Iain O'Brien's middle stump.

Fleming's stylish 54, including a hooked six off Steyn, was all that New Zealand produced by way of real resistance and it took just 21 balls for the last five wickets to fall.

The tourists later confirmed that Mathew Sinclair would replace injured Cumming in their squad for the one-day series, which starts with a Twenty20 match on Friday.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith: "Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla got runs for us and then Dale was fantastic with the ball. He's bowled at pace with good control and he's got the ball to swing.

"But the other guys have worked around him pretty well which has allowed him to come back at different times and strike."

Man of the Match Dale Steyn: "I did some work with bowling coach Vinnie Barnes before the series because I was delivering from too wide and it all worked out perfectly - the ball just kept hitting the stumps.

"I'm just doing what I have to do, getting the ball in the right places and communicating well with my captain."

New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori: "We need to play more Test cricket. It's also got to come down to individuals, to increase skill levels and desire. We need to put performances together against quality opposition.

"We've got Bangladesh coming up next. If we go ahead and win those games it doesn't necessarily mean we've become a good Test team.