South Africa completed whitewash over Australia in the 5-match ODI series after winning the 5^th and last ODI match at Newlands (Cape Town). After winning the toss, South Africa decided to bat first and put 327/8 in 50 overs.

In reply, Australia managed to score 296 runs in 48.2 overs (296/10) with the help of opener David Warner’s fighting 173-runs knock. South Africa won this match by 31 runs and also took the 5-match ODI series by leading 5-0.

Brief Scores: South Africa – 327/8 in 50 overs (Rilee Rossouw 122, JP Duminy 73, Joe Mennie 3/49)

Australia – 296 in 48.2 overs (David Warner 173, Mitchell Marsh 35, Imran Tahir 2/42)

Result – South Africa won by 31 runs

Some of the statistical highlights of the match are given below:

South African batsmen Rilee Rossouw and JP Duminy put a great and important 178-runs partnership for the 4^th wicket. It was South Africa’s second highest 4^th wicket ODI partnership. The highest 4^th wicket ODI partnership for South Africa was for 232 runs between Daryll Cullinan and Jonty Rhodes against Pakistan at Nairobi (Gym) on 29^th September 1996.

South African batsman Rilee Rossouw played an outstanding knock for his team in this ODI as he scored 122 runs before getting dismissed. It was the highest individual ODI score by a South African batsman against Australia in the 1^st innings of the ODI match. The previous best was 112* by Gary Kirsten at Melbourne on 21^st January 1994.

South Africa made 327/8 in the 50 overs after batting first in this ODI match. It was South Africa’s second highest score against Australia in the 1^st innings of an ODI match. The highest 1^st innings ODI score for South Africa against Australia was 361/6 at Johannesburg in the second ODI of this series (2^nd October 2016).

In the 2^nd innings of this ODI match, Australian skipper Steven Smith was bowled on duck by Imran Tahir. Smith only became the 2^nd Australian skipper to score an ODI duck on the South African soil. Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting was the first Australian captain to score an ODI duck on the South African soil and that was against South Africa at Centurion on 24^th March 2002.

Australian opening batsman David Warner played a great knock of 173 runs in this ODI match. With this knock, Warner made several records. These are as follows:

i) It was David Warner’s 3^rd 150+ knock in his ODI career. With this 150+ knock, Warner became the most no. of 150+ scorer for Australia in ODI history.

ii) Warner’s 173-runs knock was Australia’s jointly 4^th highest individual ODI knock.

iii) Also David Warner’s 173 runs was the highest individual ODI score for Australia against South Africa. The previous best was 164 by Ricky Ponting at Johannesburg on 12^th March 2006.

iv) David Warner’s 173-runs knock was also the 2^nd highest individual score in the unsuccessful ODI chase history. The highest individual score in the unsuccessful ODI chase history was 175 by Sachin Tendulkar (India) against Australia at Hyderabad (Deccan) on 5^th November 2009.

v) In a losing cause in ODI history, this 173-runs knock from David Warner was the 4^th highest individual score in overall and 2^nd highest individual score by an Australian batsman.

The highest individual ODI score by an Australian batsman in a defeated match was 181* by Matthew Hayden against New Zealand at Hamilton on 20^th February 2007.

vi) David Warner scored 173 runs in this ODI without hitting a six. It was the highest individual ODI score without hitting a six. The previous highest individual ODI score without hitting a six was 161* by former Sri Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan against Bangladesh at Melbourne on 26^th February 2015.

David Warner hit 24 fours during his 173 runs innings which was the highest no. of fours hit by an Australian batsman in an ODI innings. The previous highest no. of fours hit by an Australian batsman in an ODI innings was 19 and that was also held by David Warner (178 against Afghanistan at Perth on 4^th March 2015).

Australia bowled out at 296 runs which was Australia’s 2^nd highest total against South Africa in the 2^nd innings of an ODI match. The highest 2^nd innings ODI total for Australia against South Africa was 330/7 at Port Elizabeth on 6^th April 2002.

Also this 296-runs was Australia’s 2^nd highest total in the unsuccessful ODI chase history. The highest total for Australia in the unsuccessful ODI chase history was 326 against India at Bangalore on 2^nd November 2013.

South African pacer Kagiso Rabada conceded 84 runs (9-0-84-2) in this ODI which was the jointly 4^th highest conceded runs by a South African bowler against Australia in an ODI innings history.

Australian opening batsman David Warner scored total 386 runs (in 5 innings) in this ODI series. It was the most runs scored by a batsman in a bilateral ODI series between South Africa and Australia. The previous best was 380 runs (8 innings) which was scored by former South African batsman Hansie Cronje in 1994 home series.

Also Warner’s this 386-runs in the whole ODI series was the second most runs scored by a left-handed batsman in a 5-match bilateral ODI series history. The highest runs scored by a left-handed batsman in a 5-match bilateral ODI series history was 451 by Pakistan batsman Salman Butt against Bangladesh in 2008.

10. South Africa won this 5^thand last ODI of this ODI series by 31 runs and completed cleansweep in this ODI series by winning 5-0. Playing 5 or more ODI matches in a bilateral series, it was South Africa’s second home cleansweep in ODI history. The first home ODI cleansweep for South Africa, playing 5 or more ODI matches in a bilateral series, was against West Indies in 2008 (South Africa won by 5-0 in the 5-match ODI series).

Also this cleansweep victory was South Africa’s 4^th cleansweep victory in bilateral ODI series history (playing 5 or more ODI matches in a bilateral series) in overall nations.

11. At the end of the 5-match ODI series, Australia lost the ODI series by 5-0. Playing 5 or more ODI matches in a bilateral series, it was the first time ever where Australia faced an ODI series whitewash.