Bowlers steal the show as South Africa seals series

Faf du Plessis hit an unbeaten 51 to guide South Africa to a comprehensive six-wicket win over New Zealand in the fifth and final One-Day International in Auckland on Saturday (March 4) to win the series 3-2 and reclaim the No. 1 spot in the ICC ODI rankings.

South Africa needed just 32.2 overs to chase down the 150-run target with du Plessis ending the game with a boundary, which also brought up his half-century.

New Zealand was all out for 149 in the 42nd over and although South Africa lost early wickets in response, du Plessis was the rock of the innings, forging partnerships of 40 with AB de Villiers and an unbeaten 63 with David Miller.

De Villiers's 23 was his lowest score and only the third time he was dismissed in the series where he averaged 87.33. Still, he was at the crease long enough to help de Plessis during a tricky passage of play.

David Miller then hit 45 off 35 deliveries with du Plessis for company to see the side through to the finish line.

South Africa lost its top spot in the ICC ODI rankings to Australia after New Zealand's crushing seven-wicket win in the fourth game, levelling the series at 2-2. That it was eager to prove that match was a mere aberration was clear from the outset of the fifth game.

When de Villiers won the toss and opted to bowl, Imran Tahir and Kagiso Rabada were relentless. Tahir's 10 overs produced 2 for 14, while Rabada took 3 for 25 off 7.1.

The visiting side had its share of hiccups too when Quinton de Kock (six), Hashim Amla (eight) and JP Duminy (three) fell early to leave the side 48 for 3 in the 16th over, comparable to New Zealand's 51 for 4 at the same stage. But from there du Plessis and de Villiers steadied the innings and didn't let the match out of South Africa's grasp.

New Zealand's best batsman was Colin de Grandhomme, who came in at No. 8 and made 32. Dean Brownlie, Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner all made 24 and were the only other batsmen to reach double figures.

Martin Guptill, who hit a whirlwind 180 in the fourth ODI, was the first wicket to fall for four in a brief 16-ball stay this time around. Kane Williamson (nine) and Santner were both run out while Brownlie and Ross Taylor (eight) were lbw to Andile Phehlukwayo.

The two sides meet each other again in a three-Test series starting in Dunedin on Wednesday.