Mark Boucher [Images] blasted South Africa's fastest one-day century to spur them to a crushing 171-run win over Zimbabwe and a 3-0 series sweep in the third limited overs international in Potchefstroom, on Wednesday.

The South Africans, who won the toss and chose to bat, made their second-highest total and the fourth-highest overall in scoring 418 for five.

Zimbabwe replied with a pedestrian 247 for four.

Boucher, who survived six dropped catches, smashed an undefeated 147 off 68 balls with eight boundaries and 10 sixes.

He reached his maiden one-day century off 44 balls, beating the 79 balls Herschelle Gibbs [Images] needed to reach three figures against Australia in Johannesburg in March.

Boucher's century was the second fastest in one-day cricket history behind Shahid Afridi's [Images] 37-ball epic for Pakistan against Sri Lanka [Images] in Nairobi in October 1996.

"I've been striking the ball a lot better than in the past, and it's a matter of just getting the runs behind your name," Boucher told reporters. "Hopefully, I can build on this."

Boucher made light of his good fortune at the crease.

"It was one of those days where whatever you swing at hits the middle of the bat and whatever is in the air and goes to hand goes down," he said.

"The boys in the dressing room said I used up all my luck for the season."

PULVERISING STAND

Loots Bosman and Alviro Petersen launched South Africa's innings with a pulverising opening stand of 160 that ended in just the 21st over when leg-spinner Tafadzwa Kamungozi had Bosman stumped by wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor.

Bosman scored his 88 off 70 balls with 11 fours and three sixes.

Petersen faced 74 balls and hit 10 fours and a six for his 80 before offering off-spinner Prosper Utseya a gentle return catch.

Boucher joined Jacques Kallis [Images] to add 91 for the third wicket in a stand that had the Zimbabweans fetching the ball from the boundary all around the ground.

Kallis was dismissed for 50 when he tried to smash a delivery from Utseya through the on-side and sent a catch looping off the leading edge of his bat to Elton Chigumbura at short third man.

Boucher went to his century in the 43rd over when he hoisted a ball from medium pacer Justice Chibhabha over long-on for six.

J P Duminy, who was 24 not out, helped Boucher add 67 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket.

The Zimbabweans never took aim at the target, and most of their batsmen preferred to preserve their wickets and gather runs gradually.

The exception was Hamilton Masakadza, whose 55 came off 53 deliveries and included six fours.

The visitors top score went to opener Terry Duffin, who took 134 balls to make his career-best 88.

Scoreboard:
 
South Africa:
L. Bosman st Taylor b Kamungozi 88
R. Peterson c&b Utseya 80
J. Kallis c Chigumbura b Utseya 50
M. Boucher not out 147
J. Kemp st Taylor b Kamungozi 10
J. van der Wath b Rainsford 5
J. Duminy not out 24

Extras (lb-1 nb-4 w-9) 14

Total (for 5 wickets, 50 overs) 418

Fall of wickets: 1-160 2-199 3-290 4-317 5-351 Did not bat: A. Hall, R. Telemachus, C. Langeveldt, A. Nel.

Bowling: E. Rainsford 10-0-60-1 (nb-3 w-1), T. Mupariwa 9-0-81-0 (w-2), C. Chibhabha 6-0-61-0, P. Utseya 9-0-77-2, E. Chigumbura 2-0-28-0 (nb-1 w-1), T. Kamungozi 10-0-70-2, H. Masakadza 4-0-40-0.

Zimbabwe:
T. Duffin lbw b Nel 88
V. Sibanda c Langeveldt b Nel 1
C. Chibhabha c Boucher b Telemachus 46
H. Masakadza c Boucher b Telemachus 55
B. Taylor not out 19
S. Matsikenyeri not out 16

Extras (lb-14 nb-4 w-4) 22

Total (for 4 wickets, 50 overs) 247

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-103, 3-206, 4-212.

Did not bat: E. Chigumbura, P. Utseya, T. Kamungozi, T. Mupariwa, E. Rainsford

Bowling: A. Nel 8-1-41-2 (nb-1 w-2), J. van der Wath 8-0-43-0 (nb-3), C. Langeveldt 8-2-34-0 (w-1), A. Hall 9-0-29-0, R. Telemachus 8-0-33-2 (w-1), J. Duminy 6-1-35-0, J. Kemp 3-0-18-0.

Result: South Africa won by 171 runs