Kumar Sangakkara scored a century before Sri Lanka beat South Africa by two wickets with one ball to spare in a thrilling fifth and final One-Day International in Johannesburg.
Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers both scored centuries for the home side as they posted 312 for four but they still ended up on the losing side as Sri Lanka reached 314 for eight.
Sri Lanka capitalised on a series of uncharacteristic slips from South Africa to win the fourth One-Day International in Kimberley by five wickets.
Although AB de Villiers hit an entertaining 96 as his side posted 299 for seven, they allowed Sri Lanka back into the game as their batting failed to kick on and they missed chances in the field as Sri Lanka closed on 304 for five.
South Africa scrapped their way to a four-run victory on the Duckworth/Lewis method over Sri Lanka in the third One-Day International in Bloemfontein.
They closed on 179 for five in 34 overs when the rain prevented any further play after Sri Lanka had reached a competitive 266 for nine.
David Warner blasted himself into the record books and to this week's Cricket World Player of the Week award with an innings of supreme power in Perth over the weekend.
His century on day one of the third Test between India and Australia came off only 69 balls and was the joint fourth fastest of all time in Test cricket - equalling the effort of Shiv Chanderpaul in 2002 in Guyana, and trailing only Sir Viv Richards (56 balls), Adam Gilchrist (57 balls) and John Gregory (67 balls).
South Africa have made three changes to their squad ahead of the final three One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka in Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Johannesburg.
Hashim Amla leaves the squad due to a family issue, Rory Kleinveldt has an injured thigh and Jacques Kallis is being rested, resulting in call-ups for Alviro Petersen, Vernon Philander and Colin Ingram.
Half-centuries from Hashim Amla and JP Duminy guided South Africa to a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second One-Day Internaitonal in East London.
Amla made 55 and Duminy' an unbeaten 66 as South Africa closed on 237 for five after Sri Lanka had reached 236 for six from their 50 overs.
South African all-rounder Rory Kleinveldt has been ruled out of the remainder of the One-Day International series against Sri Lanka with a thigh injury.
Kleinveldt had been in the frame to make his ODI debut in the second game in East London on 14th January but has now been ruled out of action for up to six weeks.
AB de Villiers made the perfect start to his career as South African captain as his side demolished Sri Lanka by 258 runs in the first One-Day International in Paarl.
After South Africa scored 301 for eight, Sri Lanka were bowled out for a paltry 43 - their lowest ODI score and the fourth lowest of all time as the contest quickly descended into a one-sided affair.
With the last three Cricket World Player of the Week awards going to bowlers, it was only going to be a matter of time before the batsmen fought back, and they certainly did so last week.
Michael Clarke, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers (160 not out), Mike Hussey (150 not out), Ricky Ponting (134), Thilan Samaraweera (115 not out) and Alviro Petersen (109) all reached three figures.
Dean Elgar has been ruled out of the start of South Africa's One-Day International series against Sri Lanka with a knee injury and has been replaced in the squad for the first two matches by all-rounder Albie Morkel.
Elgar had been poised to make his ODI debut - along with Rory Kleinveldt - before being sidelined with the injury he picked up playing for the Chevrolet Knights against the Cape Cobras.
Thilan Samaraweera stroked a defiant unbeaten century but his efforts were in vain as South Africa wrapped up a ten-wicket win over Sri Lanka on day four of the third and final Test in Cape Town to seal a 2-1 series victory.
South Africa ended their wait for a first home series win since 2008 by dismissing Sri Lanka for 342 despite Samaraweera's 115 before Alviro Petersen hit a Dammika Prasad no ball for a single to end proceedings.
A cricket video for Cricket World TV about the latest cricket news looking back at day two in the two New Year's Test matches - Australia vs India in Sydney and South Africa vs Sri Lanka in Cape Town.
A cricket video for Cricket World TV about the latest cricket news looking back at the opening day's play in the two New Year's Test matches - Australia vs India in Sydney and South Africa vs Sri Lanka in Cape Town.
2011 Cricket World Player Of The Year Sachin Tendulkar missed out on his latest chance to score his 100th international century before Australia's quick bowlers - including fast-improving James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus - bowled India out cheaply.
Sri Lanka have named a 15-man squad for the series of five One-Day Internationals against South Africa which begins on 11th January.
Fast bowler Nuwan Kulasekara makes his return from injury having missed the series defeat to Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
With both Boxing Day Test matches ending inside four days, it is no surprise to find that it is a bowler who takes the first Cricket World Player of the Week award of 2012. Indeed, there were five different bowlers who took five-wicket hauls last week, whereas only two batsmen - Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera - reached three figures.
South Africa have named uncapped players Dean Elgar and Rory Kleinveldt in their 14-man squad for the first two One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka.
David Miller and Imran Tahir make way for the introduction of Elgar and Kleinveldt while the only other change sees fit-again captain AB de Villiers return as Mark Boucher loses his place.
A combination of vicious spin from Rangana Herath and impressive bounce from Dilhara Fernando helped Sri Lanka level the three-match series by bowling South Africa out for 241 on the fourth day in Durban.
The victory represented Sri Lanka's first since the retirement of the talismanic Muttiah Muralitharan, and extended the home side's losing streak at Durban to four matches.
A cricket video for Cricket World TV about the latest cricket news from http://www.cricketworld.com looking ahead to the final two Test matches of the year - Australia vs India in Melbourne and South Africa vs Sri Lanka in Durban.
A cricket betting video for Cricket World TV about the latest cricket betting odds in association with bet365 as John Pennington and Jim White look ahead to the following upcoming matches and series:
Boxing Day Test matches between Australia and India in Melbourne and then South Africa taking on Sri Lanka in Durban in two of the biggest games of the year.
Vernon Philander is this week's Cricket World Player of the Week following his match-winning haul of 10 for 102 in the first Test against Sri Lanka.
Other contenders this week included Dale Steyn, who took four for 18 in Sri Lanka's first innings in that match, and AB de Villiers, who played what was called by many people present, 'the most important innings he has played for South Africa'.
Sri Lanka have added quick bowlers Dammika Prasad and Nuwan Kulasekara to their squad for the remaining two Test matches against South Africa.
After being thumped by an innings and 81 runs in the opening game at Centurion Park, the pair will join up with the squad ahead of the second Test in Durban.
South Africa needed less than three days to complete an utterly convincing innings-and-81-run win over Sri Lanka in the opening Test at Centurion Park.
They extended their first innings to 411 as Mark Boucher hit 65 before Vernon Philander's fourth five-wicket haul in three matches dismissed Sri Lanka for 150.
The touring Sri Lankans lost one day of their tour game against a South African Invitational XI before Dilhara Fernando took four wickets and Tharanga Paranavitana scored a century as the match was drawn.
After no play was possible on the opening day, the South Africans were bowled out for 357 and Sri Lanka closed on 207 for three in reply.
Uncapped Nashua Titans fast bowler Marchant de Lange has been named in South Africa's 13-man Test squad to take on Sri Lanka from 15th December at Centurion Park.
Opening batsman Alviro Petersen also returns to the squad as JP Duminy, Paul Harris and Lonwabo Tsotsobe make way from the party that played Australia earlier this year.
A cricket video for Cricket World TV about the latest cricket news looking at three fast bowlers picking up injuries - Mitchell Johnson of Australia, Praveen Kumar of India and Suranga Lakmal of Sri Lanka.
An ankle injury has ruled Sri Lankan pace bowler Suranga Lakmal out of the Test series in South Africa in another blow to the injury-ravaged tourists.
He joins Dammika Prasad, Nuwan Kulasekara, Shaminda Eranga and Prasanna Jayawardene on an injury list that is hampering Sri Lanka as they search for a first Test win since the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan.
Experienced batsman Thilan Samaraweera has been given an unexpected recall to Sri Lanka's Test squad to tour South Africa after the selectors extended the touring party to 17 players.
Samaraweera, 35, was dropped following a poor series against Australia but returns to bolster a batting line-up that failed to perform consistently against Pakistan during a recent 1-0 series defeat in the United Arab Emirates.
Spinner Ajantha Mendis returns from injury and Dilhara Fernando has been handed a recall to Sri Lanka's 16-man squad to play three Test matches in South Africa.
Fernando's inclusion comes after a host of players were ruled out through injury and there are places in the squad for all-rounder Tissera Perera and opening batsman Dimuth Karunaratne.
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