The 5th and final ODI between the Proteas and Australia has just been concluded at Newlands in Cape Town.

Proteas captain, Faf Du Plessis won the toss and elected to bat first.

David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir returned for the Proteas with Joe Mennie replacing John Hastings for the Aussies.

Some good bowling by Scott Boland and Joe Mennie saw Quinton De Kock (12), Hashim Amla (25) and Faf Du Plessis (11) back in the dressing room with the Proteas score on 52/3. Rilee Rossouw and JP Duminy notched up 178 runs in their 4th wicket partnership before Duminy was caught trying to lift the ball, by George Bailey off Mennie’s bowling for 73. Rossouw went on to score 122 before being caught by Mitchell Marsh off the bowling of Chris Tremain. Miller scored 39 before the tail starting losing their wickets. The Proteas ended on 327/8.

Tremain and Mennie each picked up three wickets with Boland getting two.

David Warner and Aaron Finch had the Aussies sailing ahead before Imran Tahir bowled both Finch (19) and Steve Smith (0) in the 13th over, followed by Andile Phehlukwayo bowling George Bailey (2), with the visitors on 75/3 in the 16th over. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head each scored 35 runs before losing their wickets.

Whilst all this was happening, David Warner was playing an absolute gem of an innings and almost saw the visitors home to their first win of the series, but Imran Tahir, who had exchanged words with Warner earlier, had the final say and with Warner pushing for a second run, Tahir’s throw caused the run out and sent Warner back to the dressing room for 173 runs off 136 balls. Warner not only recorded the highest ODI total at Newlands, but also the highest by an Australian batsman against the Proteas. With Warner gone, the Aussies fell short by 31 runs and were eventually all out for 296.

Abbott, Rabada and Tahir each notched up 2 wickets.

David Warner got the Man of the Match award with Proteas batsman, Rilee Rossouw getting the Man of the Series award.

This series win is a real confidence booster for the Proteas who now travel to Australia for three test matches against the Aussies in November.