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Asia completed a 3-0 clean sweep in the Afro-Asia Cup as Mahendra Dhoni and Mahela Jayawardene compiled majestic centuries here at the M.A.Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

They rescued their side from 72-5 with a partnership of 218 before Jayawardene was caught for 107. Dhoni hit five sixes and 15 fours in an unbeaten 139 as they totalled 331-7. He was outdone by Justin Kemp who cleared the ropes seven times in his 86 off 76 balls but it was not enough for Africa who came up short on 318-7.

Asia went into the game with a side showing three changes as Upul Tharanga, Harbhajan Singh and Mashrafe Mortaza replaced Sourav Ganguly, Zaheer Khan and Dilhara Fernando.

Kenyans Peter Ongondo and Steve Tikolo came in for Africa, although Tikolo must have had mixed feelings after bearing the brunt of Dhoni’s assault, conceding 59 from four overs before being taken off.

They began the game well with Morne Morkel having Virender Sehwag caught at second slip for eight in the third over.

Ongondo then removed Sanath Jayasuriya (13), Tharanga (10) and Mohammad Yousuf before Zimbabwe’s Elton Chigumbura got in the act by bowling Yuvraj Singh for 31.

But the bowlers were picked off by Dhoni and Jayawardene, who seemed engaged in their own private race to reach three figures.

Sri Lanka skipper Jayawardene, who had a five-over start, just beat his rival as he reached three figures for the 10th time in a limited overs international off 102 balls before carving a ball from Morkel to point.

Dhoni was faster to his century, however, taking only 81 deliveries and he celebrated by taking 20 off the final over of the innings from Chigumbura as Asia came close to matching their 337-7 in the second match. AB de Villiers (70) and Vusi Sibanda (45) began Africa’s reply with a stand of 117 in 18 overs but the introduction of the spinners halted their charge. De Villiers and Boeta Dippenaar fell to successive balls from Bangladesh’s Mohammad Rafique, who then lured Sibanda out of his crease to allow Dhoni to complete the first of three stumpings.

Harbhajan dismissed Tikolo and Mark Boucher to leave Africa on 159-5, but Kemp and Shaun Pollock halted the slide and gradually revived their challenge as they added 122. Kemp’s big hitting was eventually brought to an end by Rafique, who bowled him to finish with figures of 4-65, but Pollock survived to the end for 58 not out off 49 balls, which included two sixes.

Scoreboard

Asia XI won toss

Asia XI

V Sehwag c Kemp b Morkel 8

S T Jayasuriya c Botha b Ongondo 13

W U Tharanga c de Villiers b Ongondo 10

Yuvraj Singh b Chigumbura 31

Mohammad Yousuf c Dippenaar b Ongondo 2

*D P M D Jayawardene c Botha b Morkel 107

†M S Dhoni not out 139

Mashrafe Mortaza c Morkel b Chigumbura 1

Harbhajan Singh b Morkel 4

Mohammad Rafique not out 0

Extras (b4, lb2, w8, nb2) 16

Total (8 wkts, 50 overs) 331

Did not bat: Mohammad Asif

Fall: 1-8, 2-30, 3-45, 4-51, 5-72, 6-290, 7-309, 8-315

Bowling: Morkel 10-0-50-3 (2nb); Ongondo 10-2-35-3 (2w); Chigumbura 10-0-77-2; Kemp 2-0-9-0; Botha 10-1-49-0; Tikolo 4-0-59-0 (1w); Sibanda 2-0-24-0; de Villiers 2-0-22-0 (1w)

Africa XI

A B de Villiers c Mortaza b Rafique 70

V Sibanda st Dhoni b Rafique 45

H H Dippenaar c Yuvraj b Rafique 0

S O Tikolo st Dhoni b Harbhajan 11

*J M Kemp b Rafique 86

†M V Boucher st Dhoni b Harbhajan 7

S M Pollock not out 58

E Chigumbura b Harbhajan 4

J Botha not out 18

Extras (lb9, w9, nb1) 19

Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 318

Did not bat: M Morkel, P J Ongondo

Fall: 1-117, 2-117, 3-138, 4-149, 5-159, 6-281, 7-290

Bowling: Mohammad Asif 10-1-62-0 (1nb, 2w); Mashrafe Mortaza 9-1-51-0 (1w); Mohammad Rafique 10-0-65-4 (1w); Jayasuriya 10-0-73-0; Harbhajan Singh 10-0-48-3 (1w); Yuvraj Singh 1-0-10-0

Result: Asia XI won by 13 runs

Series: Asia XI won the 3-ODI series 3-0

Man of the Match: Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Player of the Series: Mahela Jayawardene

Umpires: A L Hill (New Zealand) and P D Parker (Australia). TV umpire: A M Saheba. Match referee: B C Broad (England)

Previous matches: June 6 1st ODI Bangalore (d/n), Asia XI won by 34 runs. June 9 2nd ODI Chennai (d/n), Asia XI won by 31 runs