There was redemption for Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa but Aiden Markram and David Miller hit half-centuries as South Africa posted 315 for nine in the series-deciding fifth one-day international at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.
Zampa bounced back from conceding a world record-equalling 113 runs in the fourth match in Centurion on Friday when he bowled Heinrich Klaasen for six. Klaasen slammed 174 off 83 balls in Centurion and was particularly harsh on Zampa but on Sunday he was beaten by a quicker ball from Zampa which deceived the batsman.
Zampa took two more wickets in the 48th over to finish with three for 71.
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh sent South Africa in for the third match in a row despite his team having lost the previous two – but his reading of conditions proved correct as his pace bowlers extracted movement from the pitch for most of the innings.
Markram (93) and Miller (63) put on 109 for the fifth wicket and lower order batsmen Marco Jansen and Andile Phehlukwayo took the total past 300 with some big hitting towards the end.
Jansen hit three sixes in scoring 47 off 29 balls and Phehlukwayo cleared the boundary four times in his unbeaten 39 off 19 deliveries.
Brief scores:
South Africa 315-9 (H. van der Dussen 30, A. Markram 93, D. Miller 63, M. Jansen 47, A. Phehlukwayo 39 not out; S. Abbott 2-54, A. Zampa 3-71).
Match situation: Australia need 316 runs to win.