CRICKET- Steve Smith guides Australia to win Twenty20 series against South Africa

Captain Steve Smith hit 44 to help Australia chasing South Africa’s 178 for four in the third and final Twenty20 match at Newlands.

Steve Smith and David Warner put on 79 runs for the third wicket.

Cape Town: Australia won a confidence boost ahead of the World Twenty20 with an impressive chase race to beat South Africa by six wickets in the third and final Twenty20 international at Newlands on Wednesday. (Scorekeeper)

Need to achieve the highest successful chase after 97 Newlands was not inspired Amla South Africa to 178 for four, Australia clinched victory with four balls to spare, clinching the three-match series 2-1.

Usman Khawaja (33) and Shane Watson (42) gave Australia a strong start, putting on 76 for the first wicket in 8.2 overs.

Both fell to the leg-spinner Imran Tahir in the space of three balls, but Captain Steve Smith and David Warner made almost certain of victory with a third wicket stand of 79.

Smith made 44 and Warner 33. Warner ran out and hit Smith was caught behind, but Glenn Maxwell made 19 not out ten balls before Mitchell Marsh hit the ball he faced only four to finish the game.

It was the last game for both teams before leaving for the World Twenty20 in India on Thursday.

Amla 97 *

Amla hit eight fours and four sixes in an innings 62-ball as South Africa posted a total defiant. It was the highest score by a South African in a Twenty20 international against Australia and the highest individual score at Newlands.

Amla and Quinton de Kock of South Africa came to a quick start, putting on 47 for the first wicket before De Kock was caught at third man off Nathan Coulter-Nile for 25 versus 13 balls.

The game six on the power yielded 68 runs, but the scoring rate was reduced when fielding restrictions were removed, with leg-spinner Adam Zampa conceding only 23 runs in a season four.

Zampa should have had the window Rilee Rossouw, with Maxwell quell a direct take on the boundary when the batsman had made three of his eventual 16 runs.

South Africa elected to bat first in an area where the average total for teams batting first in floodlit games was 154.

Amla, making his first appearance in the series, replaces AB de Villiers in one of three changes to the team in South Africa.

Brazo left spinner Aaron Phangiso was not included in the South African team despite his bowling action cleared in an independent test, after failing a similar test ten days before.

Coach Russell Domingo said Phangiso need more time to work and gain confidence with the necessary adjustments had to be done.