South Africa won by five wickets with 21 balls to spare but it was a close contest after South Africa gained crushing wins in the first two matches.

Inspired by Streak, Zimbabwe made a remarkable comeback after being 35 for five early in the match.

Streak hit 68 in a total of 206 for eight, then took the first South African wicket as the home side slipped to 79 for four.

It should have been 79 for five but Justin Kemp was given not out by umpire Ian Howell when he edged his first ball from Tawanda Mupariwa to Zimbabwe captain and wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu.

Kemp, who was dropped on 21 and 30, went on to clinch victory for South Africa by hitting an unbeaten 78 off 81 balls with four fours and four sixes.

Zimbabwe were in with a chance until the 44th over when South Africa scored 17 off an over from Christopher Mpofu.

Kemp was made man-of-the-match by match referee Alan Hurst of Australia but it was Streak who changed the momentum of what had been a one-sided series.

He started his innings when Zimbabwe were in desperate trouble at 35 for five and steered his side's recovery until he was run out off the penultimate ball.

Streak, 30, had not played for Zimbabwe since leading the country against Bangladesh on March 14, 2004.

He was sacked as captain after a dispute over selection and was one of 15 players who walked out on the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

He rejoined the team Monday after agreeing to sign a new contract.

Lack of match practice showed as he batted cautiously in the early part of his innings and he did not hit the first of his five boundaries until he had faced 65 balls.

He shared stands of 67 with Brendan Taylor (41) and 88 with Gavin Ewing (46) as South Africa failed to press home their early dominance.

South Africa were captained for the first time by Nicky Boje, with regular skipper Graeme Smith resting a sore left ankle ahead of a two-match Test series which starts in Cape Town Friday.

With most of South Africa's leading bowlers also being rested, Boje had a second string attack at his disposal but it was surprising that he did not set more attacking fields after Zimbabwe's early collapse.