Dominant Proteas complete whitewash

South Africa batsmen made short work of India's bowlers as they cruised to a nine-wicket win in the fifth one-day international, completing a 4-0 whitewash in the series.

Victory was achieved with 18 overs and four balls to spare as the Proteas reached their victory target of 201 for the loss of just one wicket.

Graeme Smith was the only wicket to fall, departing for 79 when he steered a ball from Harbhajan Singh to deep extra cover where Dinesh Karthik took the catch.

Smith had put on 173 for the first wicket with AB De Villiers who finished unbeaten on 92 as a brisk 16 from Shaun Pollock - who hit three fours off his 10 balls - denied the opener a chance of a century.

Pollock collected the man of the match award and the man of the series awards after the game.

However, De Villiers still could be proud of his best ever score for the Proteas in the one-day game. He hit 12 fours and one six while Smith struck seven fours and three sixes.

India had earlier limped to 200 for nine off their allotted 50 overs against some economical bowling, with Pollock showing the way for the Proteas with figures of two for 17 off his 10 overs.

It was Pollock who struck the first blow when he dismissed Virender Sehwag for 11 with the opener tickling the ball to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

VVS Laxman was next to go, departing for a duck for his first ball as he slashed at a Pollock delivery with Graeme Smith pouching the catch at slip.

Opener Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Mongia then steadied the ship with a third-wicket partnership that would yield 85 runs. It was Justin Kemp who would eventually remove dangerman Tendulkar, who was tempted to drive at a wide delivery but only succeeded in steering the ball into the hands of De Villiers at cover.