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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South Africa beat Australia by 61 runs at St George’s Park in the fourth one-day international on Monday to claim an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

South Africa innings
G. Smith c Haddin b Hopes                           20
H. Gibbs c Clarke b Bracken                        110
J. Kallis c Ferguson b Harwood                   17
AB. de Villiers c Ferguson b Johnson       84
A. Morkel b Johnson                                          4
M. Boucher not out                                           29
JP. Duminy c M. Hussey b Harwood         40
Extras (lb-7, w-6)                                               13
Total (six wickets; 50 overs)            317

Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-87, 3-223, 4-240, 5-252, 6-317

Did not bat: R. van der Merwe, J. Botha, D.Steyn, W.Parnell.

Bowling: Bracken 10-0-64-1 (1w), Johnson 10-0-59-2 (3w), Hopes 10-0-57-1, Harwood 10-0-57-2 (2w), Hauritz 7-0-51-0, Clarke 3-0-22-0.

Australia innings
B. Haddin c Parnell b Botha                      78
M. Clarke b Van der Merwe                       50
R. Ponting c Morkel b Steyn                      53
C. Ferguson st Boucher b Merwe               3
M. Hussey lbw b Van der Merwe               2
D. Hussey c & b Steyn                                  20
J. Hopes c Gibbs b Parnell                          31
M. Johnson b Morkel                                      5
N. Hauritz b Steyn                                            3
N. Bracken not out                                           0
S. Harwood b Steyn                                         0
Extras (lb-4, w-7)                         11
Total (all out; 45.5 overs)              256

Fall of wickets: 1-129, 2-137, 3-145, 4-151, 5-188, 6-226, 7-245, 8-255, 9-256, 10-256

Bowling: Steyn 7.5-1-44-4, Parnell 9-0-64-1, Kallis 4-0-25-0, Morkel 5-0-25-1, Botha 10-0-48-1, Van der Merwe 10-0-46-3.

Result: South Africa won by 61 runs

Series: South Africa hold an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series

Man of the match: H.Gibbs (South Africa)

Tags: Australia, Hershchelle Gibbs, Ricky Ponting, South Africa, South Africa Vs Australia

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Jacques Kallis and De Villiers shared a century partnership to set up a comfortable 25-run win for South Africa in the third One-Day International against Australia at Newlands on Thursday.

Kallis (70) and De Villiers (80) laid the foundation for a South African total of 289-6, putting on 114 off 131 balls for the third wicket.

Australia made a reasonable start, reaching 66 for one before their innings stalled against the slow bowling of Johan Botha and Roelof van der Merwe.

They slumped to 114 for five and were effectively out of the game with less than 20 overs remaining.

But Callum Ferguson (63) and James Hopes (63 not out) gave their innings respectability with a sixth wicket stand of 97 before Australia finished with 264 for seven.

The win gave South Africa a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, which continues in Port Elizabeth on Monday.

Tags: Australia, South Africa, South Africa Vs Australia

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