Jacques Kallis struck a career-best 139 to guide South Africa to a series victory over West Indies in the fifth and final one-day international on Wednesday.

All rounder Kallis top-scored in a South Africa total of 310 for six as the home side, who had led 2-1 going in the final match, won by four wickets with two balls to spare.

West Indies, after winning the toss, had piled on an impressive 304 for two in their 50 overs, left-handed opener Chris Gayle hammering 152 not out at a run-a-ball.

South Africa, who won the Test series between the sides 3-0, completed their highest successful run chase in one-dayers, surpassing the 293 they overhauled against West Indies in Lahore in 1997-98.

West Indies had posted their highest total against South Africa in one-day internationals, surpassing their 300 for three at Centurion on Sunday in the fourth match of series.

Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who scored 85, had put West Indies on track to level the series with a record opening partnership of 193.

The left-handers, whose stand came off 235 balls, eclipsed the previous best for the first wicket against South Africa, the unbroken 154 put on by Desmond Haynes and Brian Lara at Port-of-Spain in 1991-92.

MORE FLUENT

Gayle, who reached his eighth one-day century, was the more fluent of the openers, hammering 12 fours and three sixes in 153 balls.

The more circumspect Chanderpaul faced 114 balls and hit six fours and a six.

Both openers scored heavily with straight drives, Gayle's straight six off fast bowler Makhaya Ntini the most memorable blow of the innings.

South Africa's bowlers struggled to make an impact on a good batting pitch, and lacked the precision to contain Gayle and Chanderpaul.

The initial breakthrough came in the 39th over, when Chanderpaul pulled the off-spin of Graeme Smith to Jacques Rudolph on the square leg boundary, having dispatched the previous delivery, a full toss, for six in the same area.

Three overs later, West Indies captain Lara pulled a ball from medium pacer Lance Klusener to Makhaya Ntini at deep square leg to be depart for 11.

Gayle and Ricardo Powell then smashed 92 off just 51 balls for the unbroken third wicket.

CAREER-BEST SCORE

Gayle finished one run short of his career-best score, while Powell blazed 49 not out off 24 deliveries with four fours and two sixes.

Smith and Herschelle Gibbs kickstarted South Africa's reply before Gibbs departed for 15 in the sixth over, caught off a skier after mistiming a leg-side shot off fast bowler Corey Collymore.

Kallis and captain Smith then added 102 for the second wicket from only 114 balls before off spinner Gayle bowled Smith in the 25th over with a delivery that pitched on middle stump and did not turn.

Smith's 60-ball 58 included six fours.

Kallis and Jacques Rudolph upped the tempo with 90 off just 65 balls in a fourth-wicket stand that ended in the 46th over, Rudolph holing out in the covers for 35 off the fast bowling of Ravi Rampaul.

Six balls later, danger man Klusener was caught by Lara at short midwicket off Collymore for four as South Africa slipped to 285 for five with 19 balls remaining.

Kallis was last man out in the 49th over, lofting a Rampaul delivery to Chanderpaul on the cover point boundary but South Africa, needing a further nine to win from eight balls, edged home, Pollock blasting a six and a four in three balls.

Scoreboard:

West Indies:
C.Gayle not out                            152
S.Chanderpaul c Rudolph b Smith   85
B.Lara c Ntini b Klusener               11
R.Powell not out                             49

Extras (lb-1 nb-2 w-4) 7

Total (for two wickets, 50 overs) 304

Fall of wickets: 1-193 2-212

Did not bat: R.Sarwan, D.Smith, R.Jacobs, R.Hurley, M.Dillon, R.Rampaul, C.Collymore

Bowling: Pollock 10-2-47-0, Ntini 7-1-41-0 (nb-1 w-2), Nel 10-0-60-0, Klusener 8-0-42-1 (nb-1), Peterson 3-0-22-0, Kallis 4-0-39-0, Smith 8-0-52-1 (w-2)

South Africa:
G.Smith b Gayle                                 58
H.Gibbs c Sarwan b Collymore          15
J.Kallis c Chanderpaul b Rampaul     139
B.Dippenaar c Rampaul b Hurley        28
J.Rudolph c Chanderpaul b Rampaul   35
L.Klusener c Lara b Collymore             4
M.Boucher not out                               7
S.Pollock not out                                12

Extras (lb-7 nb-2 w-3) 12

Total (for six wickets, 49.4 overs) 310

Fall of wickets: 1-31 2-133 3-187 4-277 5-285 6-296

Did not bat: R.Peterson, M.Ntini, A.Nel

Bowling: Dillon 10-0-42-0 (nb-2), Hurley 9-0-56-1 (w-1), Collymore 10-0-83-2 (w-1), Rampaul 10-1-56-2, Gayle 9.4-0-61-1 (w-1), Sarwan 1-0-5-0

Result: South Africa won by four wickets

First match: South Africa won by 209 runs

Second match: South Africa won by 16 runs

Third match: Match abandoned, rain

Fourth match: West Indies won by seven wickets

Series: South Africa won 3-1.