Captain Graeme Smith struck 66 on Sunday to steer South Africa to a five-wicket victory over New Zealand in a rain-interrupted fifth and final one-day international in Centurion.
South Africa are now unbeaten in 19 one-day internationals, just two short of Australia's record set between 2001 and 2003.
In a match twice stopped by bad weather, South Africa scored 140 for five in 28.1 overs to win with 11 balls to spare on the Duckworth/Lewis method. New Zealand, after being sent in to bat, were bowled out for 215 in 49.3 overs.
South Africa were 105 for two after 19 overs when the umpires stopped play due to lightning. A fierce storm with hail then held up proceedings for 92 minutes.
Smith had earlier belted 66 off 65 balls in an innings that featured several verbal confrontations with the New Zealanders. The left-hander looked in prime form, striking 13 boundaries and was especially fluent through the leg-side.
He was particularly severe on paceman Kyle Mills, with whom he had several animated exchanges, pulling him for six boundaries as the opening bowler tried short-pitched deliveries.
New Zealand's attempts at slowing down the game by bowling 19 overs in 91 minutes were initially successful as the match would have been declared a no-result had the players not returned to the field to complete 20 overs.
South Africa did return though, needing an adjusted target of 140 in 30 overs. But they suffered some anxious moments as the Kiwis struck back with three quick wickets, Jacques Kallis being caught at slip off Daniel Vettori for 15 and Albie Morkel (5) falling to a reflex catch by Nathan Astle at mid-wicket off Scott Styris.
Ashwell Prince was bizarrely stumped for nine after allowing a delivery from Vettori to pass through to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum. Prince did not leave his crease, but McCullum whipped off the bails when the batsman shifted his feet, and he was adjudged out by the television umpire.
But the victory was never seriously in doubt and Mark Boucher scored a punchy 22 not out to see South Africa home.
A four-wicket haul by Andrew Hall had earlier restricted New Zealand to 215 all out.
Hall, playing in just his second game of the series, was brought into the attack in the 24th over and ripped through the middle-order with ease.
Wicketkeeper Boucher, playing his 200th one-day international, also played a huge role in South Africa's success in the field, equalling the national record with five catches and running out Vettori first ball with a brilliant throw to the bowler's end.
Victory secured an emphatic 4-0 series win for the South Africans after the previous match in Durban was rained out.
Scoreboard:
New Zealand innings:
S. Fleming c Boucher b Pollock 0
N. Astle c Hall b Langeveldt 37
L. Vincent c AB de Villiers b Hall 66
H. Marshall c Boucher b Langeveldt 3
S. Styris c Boucher b Hall 19
C. McMillan lbw b Hall 9
B. McCullum c Boucher b Hall 27
D. Vettori run out 0
J. Franklin c Boucher b Nel 12
K. Mills c Prince b Ntini 19
S. Bond not out 9
Extras (lb-3 nb-4 w-7) 14
Total (all out, 49.3 overs) 215
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-75, 3-91, 4-134, 5-141, 6-152, 7-152, 8-185, 9-187, 10-215.
Bowling: S. Pollock 8-1-34-1 (nb-2 w-1), M. Ntini 8.3-0-49-1 (w-1), A. Nel 9-0-46-1 (w-4), C. Langeveldt 9-2-36-2 (nb-1), A. Hall 10-1-23-4 (nb-1 w-1), J. Kallis 5-0-24-0.
South Africa innings:
G. Smith b Franklin 66
A. de Villiers c Fleming b Mills 11
J. Kallis c Fleming b Vettori 15
A. Prince st McCullum b Vettori 9
A. Morkel c Astle b Styris 5
M. Boucher not out 22
J. Kemp not out 1
Extras (lb-3 nb-1 w-7) 11
Total (for 5 wickets, 28.1 overs) 140
Fall of wickets: 1-61, 2-103, 3-106, 4-113, 5-131.
Did not bat: A. Hall, C. Langeveldt, M. Ntini, S. Pollock
Bowling: K. Mills 8-0-45-1 (w-1), S. Bond 5-0-27-0 (w-1), J. Franklin 4-1-19-1 (nb-1), S. Styris 6-0-27-1 (w-1), D. Vettori 5-0-18-2, N. Astle 0.1-0-1-0
Result: South Africa won by 5 wickets (D/L Method)
More from rediff