So it's written in the books, Australia won the series 4-1 and claimed the number one spot in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
South Africa only won 1 match, the second match, the rest, who knows what happened. I don't know how I feel about the series defeat. I'm actually on the fence with this one. The ICC Cricket World Cup is a couple of months away.
Was it a good idea to play Australia so close to the event?
Has the defeat made South Africa lose momentum?
Or, has it made South Africa open their eyes and make them think of possible solutions before the World Cup?
Were South Africa's efforts enough?
Anyway, Australia posted two scores of 300+. South Africa could only get as close as 280. The match South Africa won, Australia posted 154 all out. Although South Africa won by 3 wickets (with 134 balls remaining), Australia had begun ripping the South African tail apart and South Africa faced a similar fate as Australia, so close to the target.
Skippers lead from the front and that's what AB de Villiers did. He grabbed the reigns and did what he had to for South Africa. In only 4 matches, de Villiers finished as the highest run scorer with 271 runs, a high score of 91, an average of 67.75 and a strike rate of 113.38. Moreover, he scored 3 half centuries and hit 24 fours and 2 sixes. If he featured in the last ODI, he could've passed 300 runs.
De Villiers also made 80 runs from 76 balls hitting 4 fours and 1 six at a strike rate of 105.26. In another match, he made 52 runs from 34 balls hitting 6 fours and 1 six at a strike rate of 152.94.
Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla were the only South Africans to score centuries in the series. De Kock made 107 runs from 123 balls, smashing 14 fours at a strike rate of 86.99. That was his sixth one day international hundred and de Kock was the only South African to score a century in Sydney. He also moved up the ODI rankings to a career high 7th position. On his 101 ODI appearance, Amla scored 102 runs from 115 balls, hitting 9 fours at a strike rate of 88.69.
In the 5 ODIs, only 3 South Africans were dismissed by a duck - Farhaan Behardien, Ryan McLaren and Vernon Philander. At least each was dismissed once.
In 4 matches, Morne Morkel finished as the highest wicket taker with 10 wickets, which was secured by his 5-wicket haul in the second ODI with career best figures of 5-21. Unfortunately, he conceded 230 runs.
Dale Steyn wasn't far behind with 7 wickets in 4 matches, with a best of 3-35 and gave away 197 runs to the Australians. Although he didn't take any 4 or 5 wicket hauls, he was the third highest wicket taker.
1st ODI: Australia v South Africa at Perth - Nov 14, 2014
Australia 300/8 (50/50 ov); South Africa 268 (48.1/50 ov)
Australia won by 32 runs
In the first ODI, never before had a team made 300+ to win a one-day international at the WACA, and in the end South Africa didn't get especially close. However, de Villiers and David Miller put on 126 for the fifth wicket. Miller struck 5 fours and 1 six. During their stand, de Villiers was given lbw off Mitchell Marsh for 13 but had the decision overturned and went on to score his half-century.
George Bailey was dropped twice on 2 and was dropped again while on 39 and later when he was on 47. The bowlers bowled well but the fielders - let's not even go there.
2nd ODI: Australia v South Africa at Perth - Nov 16, 2014
Australia 154 (41.4/50 ov); South Africa 157/7 (27.4/50 ov)
South Africa won by 3 wickets (with 134 balls remaining)
In the second ODI, Morne Morkel and AB de Villiers sealed the second ODI for South Africa at the WACA. Morkel's career-best 5 for 21 ended Australia's innings on 154. A quick 48 runs from 41 balls by de Villiers pushed South Africa closer to victory. Once again, David Miller and de Villiers moved the score towards the target.
Unfortunately, Hazlewood dismissed de Villiers just two balls shy of a half century.
3rd ODI: Australia v South Africa at Canberra - Nov 19, 2014
Australia 329/5 (50/50 ov); South Africa 256 (44.3/50 ov)
Australia won by 73 runs
In every innings AB de Villiers was the rock for South Africa. After he lost his wicket in the 3rd ODI, South Africa lost 6 wickets for 32 runs.
Imran Tahir couldn't produce the economy de Villiers wanted. So the skipper swapped him for Farhaan Behardien and himself, with mixed results. Behardien removed Shane Watson while de Villiers was more expensive but took the wicket of Aaron Finch.
4th ODI: Australia v South Africa at Melbourne - Nov 21, 2014
South Africa 267/8 (50/50 ov); Australia 268/7 (49/50 ov)
Australia won by 3 wickets (with 6 balls remaining)
Moving himself to No.4 in the 4th ODI, AB de Villiers scored 91 runs from 88 balls. Together with David Miller, they had a 122-run stand.
Only 51 runs came from the final 10 overs for the loss of four wickets; their 8 for 267 could've have been more.
5th ODI: Australia v South Africa at Sydney - Nov 23, 2014
South Africa 280/6 (50/50 ov); Australia 275/8 (47.1/48 ov, target: 275)
Australia won by 2 wickets (with 5 balls remaining) (D/L method)
In the final ODI Hashim Amla was named skipper while AB de Villiers was suffering from a rib injury. Dale Steyn was rested and was replaced by Morne Morkel.
Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson finished with figures of 32-4 with an economy of 5.18 in 6.1 overs. He took quick wickets, which gave South Africa hope of a victory.
Quinton de Kock had played with poise and timing to guide the visitors' innings, receiving decent support from Rilee Rossouw, who had been included in de Villiers' place. Farhaan Behardien chimed in with a free-wheeling 63 at the finish.
Rilee Rossouw played diligently in support of de Kock, and looked good for more than his 51 when he lost his wicket.
