Alex Carey and Mitchell Marsh both scored half-centuries as Australia secured a consolation victory in their rain-affected final ODI against South Africa.

The Proteas were looking to complete a clean sweep of the series and were past the midway point of their chase when rain halted play, and Australia eventually secured a 45-run win via the DLS method.

Despite bad weather delaying the start of the match, Marsh (56) started strong alongside Travis Head (24) before Corbin Bosch sent stumps flying to halt the pair's partnership at 78 runs.

Australia still built some momentum, though, with Oliver Peake (48), Carey (74) and Matt Renshaw (30), but Bosch (4-60) ripped through the middle order to slow them down.

Lizaad Williams' late wickets (2-48) helped stop Australia on 322-9, but the tourists started strongly with the ball, too, with Xavier Bartlett (2-55) taking Quinton de Kock for a duck.

Aiden Markram (15) followed him off the crease shortly after, but Ryan Rickelton's unbeaten 71 helped steady the ship.

Adam Zampa helped with figures of 2-34, dismissing Matthew Breetzke (25) and Tristan Stubbs (14), but the rain started with South Africa on 145-4 after 28 overs, and the eventual 45-run DLS margin was a fair reflection of Australia's dominance.

 

 

 

 

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Australia find some late form

It has been a tough series for Australia, having twice been skittled all out in the chase, but batting first on Wednesday gave them a solid base.

Carey had not struck an ODI fifty in over a year, but he did not show signs of that in this performance, reaching his half-century off 68 balls before Bosch eventually ended his stand in the 46th over.

The lowest score among Australia's top seven was 23, and South Africa did not look close to mounting a real challenge of reaching their target of 323.

South Africa had been targeting a series whitewash, but even knowing they needed a big total from their middle order, they struggled to find any real rhythm before the rain arrived.

For Australia, though, this will also serve as a confidence boost ahead of the three-match Test series against South Africa, which begins on October 9.