Ricky Ponting’s men have been unable to win back the one-day international ranking but he believes they can still finish the tour on a high. South Africa claimed the series with a 61-run win in Port Elizabeth on Monday in the 4th ODI and in doing so confirmed their position at the top of the rankings table.

But Australia can make the scoreline a little less lopsided and will fly out with a 3-2 loss if they fight back to win the final ODI in Johannesburg on Friday. It will require a turnaround in form after South Africa’s strong performances but Australia are keen to regain some momentum before heading to the UAE to take on Pakistan.

“We weren’t able to do well this time, and the South Africans outplayed us in the last three games in all facets of the game, so they deserve to be where they are,” Ponting said after the Port Elizabeth loss. “We’d like to finish the tour on a high, so hopefully there’ll be a bit of character in the team when the guys pitch up on Friday.”

Ponting took a risk by sending South Africa in on Monday but the bowlers struggled to make inroads into the top order. Herschelle Gibbs’ 21st ODI century and an attacking 84 from AB de Villiers left Australia chasing 318 and despite a promising opening stand between Brad Haddin and Michael Clarke Australia fell well short.

“Herschelle obviously played beautifully, he played a sensational innings,” Ponting said. “I thought De Villiers was also outstanding. We needed someone at the top to go on and make a big hundred, but we didn’t really have that.”

Tags: 4th ODI, Australia, Brad haddin, De Villers, Hershchelle Gibbs, Michael Clarke, pakistan, Ricky Ponting, South Africa, South Africa Vs Australia

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England beat West Indies by nine wickets under the Duckworth Lewis method in the fourth one-day international at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Sunday.

ScoreBoard:

West Indies innings:
C. Gayle c Prior b Broad                 46
L. Simmons run out                         29
R. Sarwan b Flintoff                         6
S. Chanderpaul c Prior b Mascarenhas      27
D. Ramdin c Flintoff b Mascarenhas        26
D. Bravo c sub b Broad                    69
K. Pollard c Flintoff b Mascarenhas        0
D. Sammy b Broad                           6
N. Miller not out                         10
F. Edwards c Collingwood b Anderson        0
L. Baker not out                          11
Extras (w-7, nb-2)                         9

Total (nine wickets; 50 overs)           239

Fall of wickets: 1-72 2-76 3-83 4-126 5-143 6-145 7-173
8-224 9-225

Bowling: J. Anderson 10-1-41-1, S. Broad 10-0-62-3 (1-nb),
A. Flintoff 9-0-58-1 (1-nb), S. Harmison 8-0-42-0, D.
Mascarenhas 10-1-26-3, K. Pietersen 0.5-0-0-0, O. Shah
1.1-0-6-0, P. Collingwood 1-0-4-0

England innings
A. Strauss not out                        79
R. Bopara c Miller b Pollard              35
M. Prior not out                          14
Extras (lb-3, w-5)                         8
Total (one wicket; 18.3 overs)           136

K. Pietersen, O. Shah, P. Collingwood, A.
Flintoff, D. Mascarenhas, S. Broad, J. Anderson, S. Harmison: Did not bat.
Fall of wicket: 1-108

Bowling: L. Baker 2-0-24-0 (1-w), F. Edwards 3-0-24-0 (2-w)
D. Bravo 3.3-0-22-0 (1-w), D. Sammy 4-0-31-0, K. Pollard
4-0-20-1 (1-w), N. Miller 2-0-12-0

The Five match series has been levelled at 2-2. The Fifth and Final One-Day International is on Friday, April 3rd at Beausejour Cricket Ground, StLucia.

Tags: 4th ODI, Barbados ODI, Duckworth Lewis, West Indies Vs England

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