Led by Ab de Villiers, South Africa defeated New Zealand by six wickets in a winner takes all game at Eden Parks in Auckland to clinch the five-match ODI series 3-2, and thus claimed the number spot in ICC Rankings, updated recently. The winners leapfrogged Australia and climbed up the ladder with ratings of 119, one ahead of the Baggy Green.

In the fifth match of the series, South Africa was quick in wrapping up New Zealand’s innings on 149, kudos to some exceptional bowling efforts from Kagiso Rabada, who grabbed three scalps and Imran Tahir, who stunned everyone with his match figures of fourteen for two in ten overs

In reply, the Proteas lost three wickets under fifty runs before half-centuries Test skipper Faf du Plessis and 45 from David Miller helped them cross the winning line, not convincingly, though. However, with the win, South Africa have now registered yet another series victory to their name in past five months.

In late September last year, they first whitewashed Australian five-nil and later punished Sri Lanka with the same numbers in January this year.

New Zealand, who didn’t lose a home ODI series since 2014/15, went down fighting against the same team, who last triumphed them three years back.

New Zealand are now placed third in the rankings with the ratings reading 113 while India, who defeated England in the bilateral ODI series in January is fourth with 112 ratings.

The following is the list of past seven bilateral series that New Zealand won consecutively at home.

Series: Year: Result:

Sri Lanka in New Zealand 2014-15 New Zealand won 4-2 (7)

Pakistan in New Zealand 2014-15 New Zealand won 2-0 (2)

Sri Lanka in New Zealand 2015-16 New Zealand won 3-1 (5)

Pakistan in New Zealand 2015-16 New Zealand won 2-0 (3)

Australia in New Zealand 2015-16 New Zealand 2-1 (3)

Bangladesh in New Zealand 2016-17 New Zealand 3-0 (3)

Australia in New Zealand 2016-17 New Zealand 2-0 (3)