JOHANNESBURG - Australia have salvaged some pride despite their one-day series loss to South Africa by scoring a 47-run win in the dead-rubber fifth match in Johannesburg.
The win means the Proteas claim a 3-2 victory in the series and take the ODI top ranking, while Australia move back from
third to second, above India.
It's a welcome relief for the Australians to regain winning form ahead of their five-match series against Pakistan which starts in Dubai on Wednesday.
Openers Brad Haddin (62) and Michael Clarke (66) top-scored in Australia's 7-303.
In reply, South Africa were bowled out for 256 in 45.5 overs.
Mitchell Johnson took 3-58 for Australia.
South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs, fresh from his 110 in game four, hit 82 and added 104 for the second wicket with Jacques Kallis.
Spinner Nathan Hauritz should have had Gibbs stumped on 47 and finally got his man LBW at 2-150.
Nathan Bracken (2-54) removed Kallis for 64 at 3-188.
Johnson struck a key blow three runs later when JP Duminy (3) became wicketkeeper Brad Haddin's third victim of the innings.
Mark Boucher (9) holed out in the 39th over.
The sell-out crowd of approximately 30,000 at Wanderers Stadium fell silent when Ben Laughlin took a stunning overhead catch on the mid-wicket boundary to dismiss Albie Morkel (5) off Hauritz's bowling.
Laughlin jumped for joy again next over when he bowled AB De Villiers for 38 at 7-229.
Roelof van der Merwe (3) and Dale Steyn (0) fell in consecutive balls with the score on 238 before Johnson removed Morne Morkel for 15 in the 46th over.
Sent in, Australia had crashed from 0-127 to 7-246 before Mike Hussey (49 not out) shared a 57-run partnership with Hauritz (24 not out).
Even though South Africa had rested Johan Botha, who is on report for "chucking" but still free to play while under investigation, Australia's struggles against spin continued.
Duminy took 3-48 and left-armer Roelof van der Merwe claimed 2-44.
South Africa's pace bowlers weren't so successful with Dale Steyn conceding 0-73 from 10 overs and Jacques Kallis 0-21 off two.
Van Der Merwe removed Clarke with a long-hop hit to deep square leg and also picked up Callum Ferguson (41) caught at cover.
Duminy had Ricky Ponting caught at long-on for 40 at 4-223.
When David Hussey (3) was stumped off a leg-side wide from Duminy it neatly illustrated the Victorian's poor series, scoring 62 runs at 12.40.
- AAP
Cricket: Australia beat SA in ODI
JOHANNESBURG - Australia have salvaged some pride despite their one-day series loss to South Africa by scoring a 47-run win in the dead-rubber fifth match in Johannesburg.
The win means the Proteas claim a 3-2 victory in the series and take the ODI top ranking, while Australia move back from
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