Twin tons by skipper Faf du Plessis and David Miller led the Proteas to a 40-run win over Australia on Sunday to clinch the three-match ODI series Down Under 2-1.
The captain and Miller were on fire in the last 15 overs of South Africa’s innings, plundering a record 174 runs from an Aussie attack in that period of the match.
The pair added a record 252 runs for any wicket against the Baggy Green in ODIs as SA posted a daunting 320/5 in Hobart.
After the Aussies tied the series with a seven-run win on Friday, the Proteas looked in deep trouble at 55/3 in the 16th over after being inserted to bat by the hosts.
But Du Plessis and Miller consolidated the innings for the first nine overs of their partnership before cutting loose.
IN TOP FORM: Proteas' Man of the Series David Miller. Photo: MUZI NTOMBELA/BACKPAGEPIX
With SA struggling with a run-rate of 3.7, the duo set the platform for the winning total with 227 runs in the final 25 overs at 9.08 runs an over.
The 47th and 48th overs went for 20 runs each as Pat Cummins (0/60) and Mitchell Starc (2/57) were sent to the cleaners.
Faf and Miller would fail to see out the innings, with the captain going for 125 off 114 balls as Shaun Marsh took a catch diving forward at a deep cover-point of Marcus Stoinis in the penultimate over.
Miller was out with two balls to go at deep mid-wicket after a devastating 139 off 108 deliveries.
The Aussies, though, weren’t going to take this one lying down and looked like chasing down the Proteas' score, needing 87 from with eight overs to go with Shaun Marsh going strong.
SUPERB FINISH: Dale Steyn. Photo: DEAN LEWINS/EPA
The allrounder hit 106 runs and got handy support from Stoinis (63) and Alex Carey (42).
But the SA bowling attack remained calm in the face of the Aussie onslaught and got the tourists back into the game.
Dwaine Pretorius made the breakthrough to remove Marsh in the 41st over before Dale Steyn (3/45) and Kagiso Rabada (3/40) picked up a brace each to reduce Oz to 280/9.