Kallis inspirational in win

Jacque Kallis celebrated his 150th test match with one of the most complete all-round performances of his long career as he inspired South Africa to a 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka yesterday and a first home series win in three years.

Kallis marked his milestone match at his home ground at Newlands with a career-best 224 in South Africa's rampant first-innings batting effort in the third test. He then picked up three with the ball in Sri Lanka's second innings on the fourth day - and completed a South African record six catches in the match to be the driving force behind the Proteas' win.

South Africa overcame a 208-run loss in the second test, its first test defeat on home soil to the Sri Lankans, to seal a first home series success since beating Bangladesh in late 2008. It ended a frustrating run of four home series without a win.

In Cape Town, South Africa finally found the killer instinct to bowl Sri Lanka out for 239 and then 342 just before tea after they followed on in response to South Africa's Kallis-inspired 580-4 declared.

"I couldn't have asked for it to have worked out better. You dream of performances like that in milestone games," Kallis said.

Needing just two runs to clinch the match and series with over a day to spare, opener Alviro Petersen drove the first ball of South Africa's second innings, a no-ball from Dhammika Prasad, back through mid-on and to the boundary. At the non-striker's end, captain Graeme Smith needn't have padded up.

"Excellent bounce back from the guys," Smith said. "We were very poor in Durban. There was a bit of emotion for Jakes [Kallis] and the guys came out and played for him. We haven't lost too many [series] but we just haven't had that killer punch. This one in particular, there's a lot to build on."

AB de Villiers made 160 not out in South Africa's first innings and Petersen also had a century in the Proteas' commanding start, but 36-year-old Kallis produced one of his best outings in his 17th year of international cricket to ridicule recent suggestions in South Africa's media that the allrounder may be past his best.

He pouched tough chances at slip and a diving catch off his own bowling, and produced pace and bounce off a lifeless wicket to trouble batsmen. Having been hit over his head for six he roared in and ripped out Chanaka Welegedara's leg stump to end Sri Lanka's innings just before tea and effectively end the match.

Batting, he punished Sri Lanka's bowling for the best part of two days at the start of the game for his highest test score, hitting 31 fours and a six having become just the sixth player to reach 150 tests.

"As long as I don't read too many newspapers, I think I can keep going for a few more years," Kallis said. "As long as I keep on enjoying it, I'll keep going."

A fighting 115 not out from Thilan Samaraweera had delayed South Africa's march to victory in a gritty 142-run partnership with Angelo Mathews (63). Their disciplined stand under South Africa's relentless attack was chiefly responsible for the hosts having to bat again.

However, Samaraweera's impressive second century of the series, which included 14 fours, couldn't prevent South Africa's long-awaited victory.

Samaraweera's first century in South Africa had set up Sri Lanka's historic win in Durban. But, despite the 35-year-old batsman's fight at Newlands, Sri Lanka slid away to their fourth series defeat in four trips to South Africa and fourth straight series loss.

"It's now time to address things," captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said. "We have talked about a lot of things but we still haven't delivered. That's the main issue. As a team, we have to take the blame. "

After conceding their highest score against South Africa, Sri Lanka started Friday 138 for 4 in their second innings and still 203 runs from making the host bat again.

But Samaraweera and Mathews, who came together with Sri Lanka 98 for 4 and almost certain to slump to an innings defeat, lifted the tourists to 240 for 5 when Mathews fell to Vernon Philander. They added just 102 more for the last five wickets, though, as Philander finished with 3-54 in the innings and Imran Tahir 3-106.

South Africa's impressive bowling newcomer Philander returned from injury to take six wickets, taking his tally to 30 in his first four tests. Dale Steyn returned 3-56 in the first innings and legspinner Tahir had five wickets and Morne Morkel three, as South Africa's bowlers closed out the match.